Starmer slams Fifa over ‘unacceptable’ World Cup ticket prices as he urges action to stop fans being ‘ripped off’ | OneFootball

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Fifa over World Cup ticket prices, branding the situation "unacceptable" and urging the football governing body to ensure fans are not being "ripped off".

The Prime Minister’s intervention follows widespread complaints from supporters who claim they were misled about seat locations and that Fifa’s public statements and ticket releases have contributed to soaring costs.

Concerns about fan exploitation have also prompted the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey to demand answers from Fifa. They allege the organisation has been "artificially inflating prices" and "misleading fans" regarding match ticket sales.

Speaking to The Sun, Sir Keir emphasised the primacy of supporters.

"Football fans should come first, that’s why I’m urging Fifa to take action to ensure people buying World Cup tickets are not ripped off," he stated.

"In less than a fortnight, thousands of passionate supporters will be making their way to the US, Canada and Mexico to cheer on England and Scotland. It is unacceptable for fans to be exploited for wanting to support their country on the biggest stage."

Gianni Infantino has faced criticism over World Cup ticket prices (Getty)

This latest criticism from the Arsenal fan follows his recent call for broadcaster TNT Sports to make Saturday’s Champions League final freely available, expressing his disappointment that the competition was not accessible to all UK football supporters.

It has previously been reported that fans felt deceived by the introduction of more expensive "front" category tickets released after initial sales for the World Cup.

It is further alleged that variable pricing across different phases and in response to demand allowed Fifa to increase prices for approximately 90 of the 104 fixtures by an average of 34 per cent.

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and her New York counterpart Letitia James have specifically requested details on ticketing practices for eight World Cup matches hosted in New Jersey, including England’s group game with Panama on 27 June and the World Cup final on 19 July.

Their investigation will examine how the ticket release schedule and public statements may have influenced prices.