Fans report FIFA to European Commission over high World Cup ticket prices | OneFootball

The European Football Supporters Association (Football Supporters Europe, FSE) filed a legal action with the European Commission on Tuesday (24) against Fifa over the “exorbitant” prices of tickets for the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in North America, and over its “opaque and unfair” purchasing procedures.

Together with Euroconsumers, an organization that defends consumer rights, FSE “filed an official complaint with the European Commission against Fifa” for having “abused its monopoly position,” the association said in a statement.

Criticism of the sales model and ignored consultation

In December, the supporters’ association had already urged Fifa to “begin a consultation” to find “a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural reach of the World Cup,” which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

FSE says that prices for the July 19 final in New Jersey (United States) are far above the amounts charged at the previous edition, Qatar 2022.

The cheapest tickets for the final cost $4,185 (R$21,898), according to the plaintiffs, “seven times higher” than the price charged at the 2022 World Cup.

By comparison, FSE explains, the cheapest tickets for the Euro 2024 final cost 95 euros (about $100, R$523).

The two organizations are challenging FIFA under European competition law.

Accusation of monopoly abuse

“Fifa holds a monopoly on ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and uses this power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” they say.

“Fifa’s own bid documents projected an average ticket price of $1,408 (R$7,360), but that figure has long been left behind,” FSE criticized.

According to Fifa, nearly seven million tickets have been put on sale. Each fan may buy a maximum of four tickets per match and a total of 40 for the entire tournament.

The first expanded World Cup featuring 48 teams will have 104 matches in total, and prices have surged for the most in-demand games.

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Dynamic pricing

FSE reported that North America’s bid had initially promised tickets starting at $21, but in practice the cheapest ones put on sale cost $60, for example, for the first Group J match between Austria and Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California.

Most tickets cost at least $200 for matches involving the top national teams.

Some tickets for the final offered on Fifa’s official resale platform are being listed at astronomical prices: a category-three seat for the final was listed at $143,750 (R$752,000), more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450 (R$18,000).

Fifa’s defense and supporters’ challenge

Fifa president Gianni Infantino insists that ticket prices are simply a consequence of enormous demand: “In the United States, in particular, there is what is called ‘dynamic pricing,’ which means that prices go up or down depending on fan interest,” he justified.

For FSE, the problem with “dynamic pricing” is that there is no limit to how high ticket prices can rise. The association criticizes the “lack of transparency about how prices are set.”

Requests to the European Commission

FSE and Euroconsumers are asking the European Commission to order Fifa to abandon “dynamic pricing,” freeze prices at the levels announced in December for the next sales phase in April, and publish, “at least 48 hours in advance,” the number of remaining tickets in each category.

According to FSE and Euroconsumers, the sales rules are “opaque” because “seat locations, stadium maps, and even the teams that will play are not guaranteed at the time of purchase.”

The resale market is not regulated in the United States and Canada. In Mexico, reselling a ticket above its face value is prohibited, but only when the ticket is purchased in Mexico using the local currency.

*Content produced by AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.