— Published March 31, 2026

European fans are protesting against FIFA

Events Focus

On Wednesday, FIFA will open the final phase of ticket sales for the World Cup. The governing body is already pleased with a " extraordinary enthusiasm of the fans By the end of November, even before the draw, two million tickets had been sold. FIFA expects to break the 1994 record, an edition that attracted 3,5 million spectators. Figures that would suggest everything is going smoothly… which isn't really the case.

Broken promises and exorbitant resale costs

Supporters' groups are still grumbling, particularly in Europe. The Football Supporters Europe (FSE) collective and the consumer organization Euroconsumers have filed a complaint against FIFA with the European Commission. They denounce six abuses related to World Cup ticketing: exorbitant prices, far higher than initially announced; misleading advertising for $60 tickets, which were virtually unavailable in reality; uncontrolled dynamic pricing; a lack of transparency regarding, for example, the exact location of one's seat; aggressive sales techniques that create an artificial sense of urgency; and excessive fees on FIFA's resale platform. A concrete example: On an $800 ticket, FIFA receives an additional $240 on top of the initial selling price. "A nice profit margin, which the spectators pay a high price for."

« Football is a universal passion, but FIFA treats it as a luxury reserved for a privileged few by exploiting its absolute monopoly on World Cup ticketing. By imposing opaque pricing, deceptive practices designed to pressure buyers, and exorbitant resale fees, FIFA places an unfair financial burden on millions of European fans. “This is a major concern,” laments Marco Scialdone, head of litigation at Euroconsumers, in a statement. He calls on the European Commission to take interim measures to protect European consumers, including compelling FIFA to cease dynamic pricing and to indicate the number of seats available in each category, as well as their exact location, at least 48 hours before sales open.

A budget of over 10.000 euros

The prices had already provoked a storm of protest this fall. A member of the Irresistibles Français since 2013 and spokesperson for the association, Guillaume Auprêtre has done his calculations To follow the French team throughout the tournament: If we make it to the final, the tickets alone will cost at least €6.000. If you factor in everything, including travel to and from the tournament, accommodation, and time spent there, it easily exceeds €10.000. We've never had to spend so much to experience a World Cup. It was more like €4.000 or €5.000 in Russia and Qatar. »

Other warning signs have emerged in recent weeks. Obtaining visas has become a real ordeal for some fans. A new law passed in the United States requires citizens of about fifty countries to post a bond of between $10 and $15.000 to be allowed entry. Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia, all qualified for the World Cup, are among them. This is an additional burden for the most dedicated fans, many of whom may now have to forgo attending the tournament.