Next summer’s World Cup tournament got its first scandal when tickets for the matches went on sale.
You could watch Leo Messi for a pittance, when the ticket prices for the tournament in Qatar are compared to next summer’s big event. EPA / AOP
The ticket sales for next summer’s World Cup tournament started in the worst possible way.
Fifa had chosen dynamic pricing, which meant that ticket prices rose to several thousand euros due to high demand.
It naturally felt like a direct betrayal, at least for those European fans who have considered it a matter of honor to follow their own national team on the spot.
For example, watching England’s games from the best seats in the stadium for the whole tournament (if it goes to the final) would cost around €15,000.
President of the Football Association Ari Lahti shakes his head when he listens to what prices World Cup tickets have risen to. They have increased fivefold since the World Cup in Qatar three years ago.
– Clearly, the pricing did not go right. But there are a few things to understand. Thus, from a European perspective, the original pricing strategy was wrong. The ticket prices were too high, Lahti begins.
In Ari Lahti’s opinion, Fifa fell into underestimating the importance of fans. Janne Palomäki
In addition, accommodation and travel within the United States is expensive even during normal times. During the summer World Cup, their prices also increase many times.
– Of course, ticket prices are clearly higher in American sports culture. It’s really expensive to go see a regular NBA or NHL game. The World Cup tournament was clearly aimed at Super Bowl-type events.
“104 Super Bowls”
Lahti refers to the Fifa boss with his comment Gianni Infantino to the promise. The Swiss boasted to the Yankees audience that the World Cup tournament is equivalent to 104 Super Bowls.
– The pricing was clearly done against that. And it seems unfair because there are teams from very small and poor countries. Tickets are even more expensive from their point of view.
The criticism woke up Fifa, who quickly introduced a new, much cheaper category of tickets for sale. According to the organization, the $60 tickets are aimed directly at fans of the World Cup teams.
– This should have been thought about earlier. The importance of fans should not be underestimated.
It is already clear that, for example, the Jordan-Algeria Group J match to be played on June 22 in Santa Clara, California, is not a mega event.
In addition, the president Donald Trump has banned all Iranians (in Block G) and Haitians (in Block C) from entering the country. Of course, with the current ticket prices, there wouldn’t have been very many visitors either.
According to Fifa, ticket sales have been going well, even though the prices have risen astronomically. EPA / AOP
Lahti himself sits on the board of the European football association UEFA. Its crown jewel at the national team level is of course the men’s EC tournament, which will be held next time in the summer of 2028.
Fixed prices in the European Championships
Uefa has already confirmed that dynamic pricing is not used in the English tournament. That is, all tickets are exactly the price at which they are listed for sale.
In addition, Uefa’s own ticket resale platform does not charge an additional fee at all.
– We do a precise analysis because we want to fill the stadiums. All money goes back to the European football system. Finland also gets its share.
Of course Fifa has the same idea. It practically finances its entire operation with the men’s World Cup held every four years.
The only question is whether it needs that much money.
– The upcoming World Cup tournament is the first that I myself decided to award to North America. Then I remember that they promised the income from the Games would be 10–11 billion dollars, Lahti said.
– Now it seems that it will be exceeded. It will be about 13 billion dollars.