SPORTS
Fans Sue FIFA over High World Cup Ticket Prices
The Football Supporters Europe group filed a lawsuit yesterday with the European Commission against football’s world governing body, FIFA, over “excessive ticket prices” for this year’s World Cup finals.
The FSE and the Euro consumers group said the tickets for the June 11-July 19 tournament in the US, Canada, and Mexico were overpriced and complained that FIFA has a monopoly over the sales.
“Euro consumers and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, alleging that the football body has abused its monopoly position to impose
Excessive ticket prices and opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes on European fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup,” the FSE said in a statement.
“FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” the group added.
The FSE said the prices for the final were way above those for the 2022 final in Qatar.
“The cheapest openly available final tickets now start at $4,185 more than seven times the cost of the cheapest 2022 World Cup final ticket,” they said.
By contrast, it said the cheapest UEFA Euro 2024 final tickets were 95 euros ($100).
“FIFA’s own bid documents projected an average ticket price of $1,408, but that number has been left far behind,” FSE added.
According to FIFA, almost seven million tickets have been made available.
Each person can buy a maximum of four tickets per match and a total of 40 for the whole competition.
There will be a total of 104 matches played at this expanded World Cup, the first ever to feature 48 teams, and ticket prices have soared for the most in-demand games.
FSE said the North American bid had initially promised tickets would be available from as little as $21, but instead the cheapest tickets to go on sale have been for $60, for example, for the Group J opener between Austria and Jordan at the Levi’s Stadium in California.
Most tickets cost at least $200 for matches involving leading nations. ‘Dynamic pricing’
Some tickets on offer for the final on FIFA’s official resale site are being offered at astronomical prices.
One category three seat for the game at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was being advertised for an eye-watering $143,750, over 41 times its original face value of $3,450.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino insists ticket prices are simply a consequence of the huge demand.
“In the US in particular, there is this thing called dynamic pricing, meaning the prices will go up or down”, depending on the match in question,” Infantino has said.
FSE said the problem with ‘dynamic pricing’ was that there was no limit to how high the prices can go.
“FIFA used ‘variable pricing,’ or dynamic pricing, with no cap and no transparency on how prices are set,” it said in the statement.
“Some tickets rose 25 per cent between sales phases. Fans had no clear way of knowing the final price before joining the queue.”
Having faced sustained criticism over prices, FIFA announced a cheaper category of tickets, but those seats available for $60 were reserved for fans of qualified teams and would make up just 10 percent of each national federation’s allotment.
“FIFA repeatedly advertised $60 group-stage tickets,” FSE said.
“In practice, they were so scarce that the entire Category 4 inventory was practically sold out before general public sales opened.”
FIFA is keeping aside an unspecified number of tickets which it will make available from April until the end of the tournament “on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Then there are the resale platforms, including FIFA’s own official site. But this controversial fan-to-fan market allows resellers to determine prices themselves, hence the huge price advertised for a final ticket.
The resale market is unregulated in the United States and Canada. In Mexico, reselling a ticket above face value is prohibited, but only when the ticket is purchased in Mexico using the local currency.
By David Torough, Abuja
Spain were crowned champions of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a tense and dramatic final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
Substitute Ferran Torres emerged as Spain’s hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute to hand La Roja their second FIFA World Cup title, 16 years after their maiden triumph in South Africa in 2010.
The final remained goalless through regulation time despite Spain dominating possession and creating the better chances.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez produced a series of outstanding saves to frustrate Luis de la Fuente’s side and keep the holders in contention.Argentina’s task became even more difficult in stoppage time of the second half when midfielder Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge, reducing Lionel Messi’s side to 10 men for extra time.
Spain eventually made their numerical advantage count when Nico Williams brilliantly kept Pedro Porro’s cross alive before laying the ball into the path of Torres, who fired beyond Martínez to spark wild celebrations among the Spanish players and supporters.
The victory capped a remarkable campaign for Spain, who conceded just one goal in seven matches while eliminating Portugal, Belgium, France and Argentina on their way to lifting football’s biggest prize.
For Argentina, the defeat ended their bid to successfully defend the title won in Qatar. Messi, making what is expected to be his final World Cup appearance, could not inspire a comeback as the South Americans struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the contest.
Tempers flared after the final whistle, with players from both sides involved in a brief confrontation following the highly physical encounter.
Spain’s triumph also saw them make history as the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup titles, underlining their dominance in world football and marking a new golden era for Spanish football.
Kylian Mpappe said he and his France teammates did not perform well to progress to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final after their 2-0 defeat against Spain on Tuesday.
France went into the game as the favorite but Didier Deschamps’ men were completely outplayed by a better tactical and technical Spain.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured Spain’s spot in the World Cup Final, since the last time they won the tournament in South Africa 2010.
Luis de la Fuente’s men completely dominated France, restricting them to just two shots on target all game.
France had scored 16 goals before the game but Spain rendered Mbappe and his co-attackers ineffective on Tuesday.Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe described the French team’s performance as disappointing and not worthy of a final spot.
“We did not produce the performance we wanted, tactically, technically or in terms of our overall level,” Mbappe said.
“When you fail to do what you are supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you do not win.
“Spain stuck to their plan and to what they believe in. There was a lack of communication in our pressing, even when we won possession back, our first passes and first touches were not worthy of a World Cup semi-final,” he added.
After the game, France coach Didier Deschamps said his team lost to a better team.
“The players are devastated, but we have to be clear-headed: technically, we were second best. That is on us.”
Pedro Porro who scored the second goal for Spain said the victory is a dream come true for him, and added that his side did everything right against a brilliant team.
“A dream come true to be honest. I never even imagined anything like this, not even in my wildest dreams,” Porro said.
“We did everything right against a team that was having a brilliant World Cup,” he added.
Spain will discover their final opponents on Wednesday when England face Argentina in Atlanta for a place in Sunday’s final.
Two-time World Cup champions France will on Tuesday take on Spain, the reigning European champions and 2010 FIFA World Cup champions, in a match dubbed the “Clash of the Titans.”
It is the first semi-final fixture and one of the most anticipated match-ups of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
France is aiming for a third consecutive World Cup final appearance, led by the attacking prowess of Captain Kylian Mbappé.
Mbappé, as expected, has dominated the tournament, taking his performances to another level as he leads the scoring chart with eight goals and three assists.
He is a force to be reckoned with, and his brilliance has inspired teammates such as Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year.
Together with Michael Olise, they have tormented opposing defences and given French fans the belief that 2026 could be their year.
France has been one of the standout teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They reached the semi-finals with an unbeaten run and have looked strong in both attack and defence.
They defeated Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1 to finish top of their group with three wins from three matches.
In the Round of 32, France beat Sweden 3-0 before edging Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16, with Mbappé converting a penalty.
In the quarter-finals, they defeated tournament favourites Morocco 2-0, thanks to goals from Mbappé and Dembélé, to advance to the semi-finals.
Mbappé and Dembélé have been among the tournament’s most dangerous attacking players.
Together, they have scored 13 goals, matching a World Cup record for a pair of teammates.
France’s next challenge is a blockbuster semi-final against Spain, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
Similarly, Spain, the reigning European champions, have impressed with their possession-based football and the emergence of young stars such as Lamine Yamal.
While France has been the tournament’s highest-scoring side, Spain has combined strong defensive performances with midfield dominance.
Spain has also been one of the standout teams at the World Cup, reaching the semi-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in 2010.
They finished top of Group H, defeating Uruguay 1-0, thrashing Saudi Arabia 4-0 and playing out a goalless draw against a resilient Cabo Verde side.
They maintained their impressive form by crushing Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32.
They defeated Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal 1-0 in a keenly contested and thrilling Round of 16 encounter, courtesy of a late winner from Mikel Merino.
Spain eliminated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals, with Merino once again scoring the decisive late goal.
So far, Spain has conceded only one goal on the way to the semi-finals, making them one of the tournament’s strongest defensive teams.
They joined Argentina, France and England as the four top-ranked nations to reach the semi-finals, marking a historic first since the FIFA World Rankings were introduced.
Spain’s clash against the highly rated France promises to be a fascinating semi-final, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
It is expected to be a mouth-watering tactical battle between France’s pace on the counter-attack and Spain’s patient possession game.
Meanwhile, as football fans across the globe eagerly await the encounter, supporters in Lagos are equally excited.
Femi Oshisami, a trader, said he was confident Spain would eliminate France because of his passion for Spanish football, which he considers superior to the French style.
He believes Spain is hungry for another major title after winning the current European Championship and looks capable of repeating the feat at the World Cup.
“It is going to be very explosive, a match to behold, and I am confident Spain will win at the end,” Oshisami said.
Similarly, Emeka Chukwura said he is a big fan of Mbappé and believes France is unstoppable because the team possesses the quality to break down any opposition in the competition.
“I have my money on France. They have a great team with players of different qualities who are basically world-class.
“They are aiming for a third consecutive appearance in the final, which is a credit to their hard work and consistency,” Chukwura said.
In the same vein, Yussuf Tijani, a shoe cobbler, said the World Cup has been very interesting and highly competitive.
He said he was heartbroken when the African teams were eliminated but still supports France because of the presence of players of African descent in the squad.
“I believe France will beat Spain to reach the final. They are a good team and have the capability to handle any kind of pressure,” Tijani said.
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