Fans’ chief: Huge World Cup prize pot shows FIFA can afford to cut ticket prices

Record-breaking World Cup prize money demonstrates there is no need for FIFA to charge “extortionate” prices for tickets, a fans’ chief has said.

Tom Greatrex, the chair of the Football Supporters’ Association, said FIFA risked “killing” what is special about its prized commercial asset if it does not act now on ticket prices.

FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that 727 million US dollars (£545m) has been set aside for competing nations, with the World Cup winners in line to receive 50 million US dollars (£37.5m). The total prize fund is up 50 per cent compared to the last finals in Qatar in 2022.

That announcement comes amid an ongoing row over ticket prices, with fan groups accusing FIFA of failing to go anywhere near far enough to price tickets to the most loyal supporters at a reasonable level.

On Tuesday evening FIFA announced some 60-dollar (£45) tickets would be available to fans who were part of their national association’s travel club or loyalty schemes for every match, but these amount to just 10 per cent of a country’s allocation per match, which itself stands at just eight per cent of each stadium’s capacity.

FSA chair Greatrex, who on Tuesday urged FIFA to stop “playing PR games” over ticket pricing, said on Wednesday: “The record prize fund demonstrates there is no shortage of money associated with the World Cup.

“More teams, bigger stadia, greater number of commercial partners – which all underlines that there is no need to charge extortionate ticket prices to the supporters who bring the vibrancy to the World Cup finals.

“Unless they reconsider the ticket pricing model, FIFA are in danger of undermining the spectacle of the finals by pricing out those who bring colour, atmosphere and emotion to games – ironically devaluing the ‘product’ to their commercial partners.

“It is not too late for FIFA to avoid the catastrophic error of all but killing what is special about the World Cup. They should act now.”

Under the prize money plan unveiled on Wednesday, FIFA said each nation will receive 1.5m US dollars (£1.1m) from FIFA in preparation costs and at least a further 9m US dollars (£6.7m) just for competing in the group stage.

The ESTC sent an update to members on Wednesday stating that based on initial expressions of interest, there would be enough of the £45 tickets to meet the demand of ‘top cappers’ – those with the most loyalty points – for all games through to the final.

If more ‘top cappers’ apply between now and the closure of the application window January 13, the ESTC said a mini-ballot would take place, with supporters and the FSA consulted on the fairest way to allocate the tickets.

The ESTC also confirmed how many of the £45 tickets would be available per match – for the opener against Croatia it would be 552. The largest number would be the 632 for the third group game against Panama, while for the final the ESTC said there would be 600 £45 tickets available.

Members were advised to apply by 11pm on December 21, with the ESTC having requested FIFA application data after that date which the ESTC can then use to give members final guidance on their applications.

Top cappers who applied for tickets in what had been the cheapest category prior to Tuesday’s announcement have been told they do not need to amend their applications.