As the countdown to the World Cup continues, fans express growing anger and disappointment over the exorbitant ticket prices that have emerged for the tournament. Yet thousands of ticket-less supporters, especially those from smaller nations, are finding it hard to even afford a match ticket. Costs have increased to a point that exceed their monthly salaries.
To make matters worse, this is the case for fans coming from Haiti and Ghana. Tickets for Haiti’s first World Cup match in 52 years against Scotland begin at a comparatively cheap $180 (£135). If you want to see all three matches for Ghana, it’ll set you back $625 (£467). For millions of Americans, these costs are overwhelming. For comparison, the average monthly wage in Haiti is less than $147 (£110) and around $254 (£190) in Ghana.
Travel costs exacerbate the issue. Lorella creates her designs by hand and prints them using traditional serigraphy techniques one by one. It’s a large investment, but it’s one that will make sure they can support their team all the way to the championship. Costs associated with the World Cup flights during the group stages are going up to more than £1,675 per flight each. Other projections even have your overall travel costs reaching £2,600. Once you factor in the price of their cheapest match tickets, an England fan’s total spend can be astronomical. It has the potential to go up to £7,800!
Katie, a disgruntled Trekkie from Glasgow, told us about her disappointment at the costs, telling us ′′
“Buy a ticket, you must be joking! These prices are not for the real fans, these are for corporates, bigwigs, sponsors. The real fans cannot afford those glorified prices.”
The development poses major concerns for the public’s ability to access one of football’s most beloved spectacles. As it stands, the cheapest available ticket for matches at the World Cup is £500. Note that this price does not include your travel expenses. For supporters wanting to attend as many matches as possible, especially those with Scotland playing, the cost quickly becomes too much.
Ian, a Yes supporter from Glenrothes, told us that he couldn’t believe what was happening, saying,
“Not sure why anyone is surprised. I have a feeling that quite a number of people within the next couple of months are going to drop out of that desire to be at the next World Cup. Sadly. So sadly.”
This increasing feeling of discontentment within the fanbase speaks to a larger issue ingrained as part of the football community. As ticket prices increase, many of their most loyal supporters are left feeling marginalized. Paul Clegg, 61, from Blackburn, who has been to every World Cup since 2014, said with regret,
“This will be my fifth World Cup. I haven’t missed a game since 2014. I’m in contact with England fans all over the country. I’m a top capper. We all plan to boycott games after the group stage. Football is dead.”
Anne-Marie Carr, 54, from York agreed and expressed the same disappointment for her decades’ long habit of going to games.
“I have diligently attended England matches so that I can earn the caps to get tickets for major tournaments only to then find that I, as so many others, are being priced out.”
Against this backdrop of vexation and dismay, an even greater question lingers – how will international tournaments engage with their fans in the future? If ticket prices continue to soar and accessibility craters, we risk the World Cup alienating its most loyal fans. These fans are the lifeblood of the tournament, providing its unmatched fervor and intensity year after year.