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**ramAnag** · 12-12-2025, 05:05 PM

Totally ridiculous.

Just for perspective, in 1966 a standing ticket for the final cost 10/- (50p) and a seat cost around 3/15 (3.75p) while you could also apparently buy a book of tickets for ten matches for 25.00.

**Geoff Parkstone** · 12-12-2025, 05:48 PM

equally for perspective the cheapest seat for the superbowl is around 3,800 in the nosebleeds. A field level seat at last year's superbowl was 40,000. So no surprises in WCF pricing then. I imagine, as with superbowl, there will be no shortage of demand and most "real" fans will be priced out of it.

Basic manual wages in 1966 was around ? 20 a week so ?3-15-0 was relatively cheap I suppose, which could explain by at least 250,000 fans remember being there!

**SithHappens** · 12-12-2025, 06:00 PM

I used to get really excited for world cups but it's gradually been eroded over the years.

Probably get a bit more excited nearer the time.

Bet Don ensures AI is in place to make sure the stadiums look full.

**ramAnag** · 12-12-2025, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by Geoff Parkstone View Post

equally for perspective the cheapest seat for the superbowl is around 3,800 in the nosebleeds. A field level seat at last year's superbowl was 40,000. So no surprises in WCF pricing then. I imagine, as with superbowl, there will be no shortage of demand and most "real" fans will be priced out of it.

Basic manual wages in 1966 was around ? 20 a week so ?3-15-0 was relatively cheap I suppose, which could explain by at least 250,000 fans remember being there!

Okay, a comparison with 1966 was maybe a bit of a stretch and just gave me an excuse to write in old money, but the best comparison may be with the last WC in Qatar and tickets for this year are said to cost 7(!) times more than 2022.

**Geoff Parkstone** · 12-12-2025, 09:59 PM

And still unaffordable by most locals who were let in free to fill the stadia as I recall

**Geoff Parkstone** · 12-12-2025, 10:10 PM

rA "but the best comparison may be with the last WC in Qatar and tickets for this year are said to cost 7(!) times more than 2022."

The BBC says 'up to 3 times' and we know they are right....

**ramAnag** · 13-12-2025, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by Geoff Parkstone View Post

rA "but the best comparison may be with the last WC in Qatar and tickets for this year are said to cost 7(!) times more than 2022."

The BBC says 'up to 3 times' and we know they are right....

Probably why I said ‘are said to cost…’. There are different estimates and I wouldn’t know. Possibly even you don’t either.

What I do know is that they’ll be beyond the reach of ordinary football fans and that’s the issue.

**swaledale** · 13-12-2025, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by Geoff Parkstone View Post

rA "but the best comparison may be with the last WC in Qatar and tickets for this year are said to cost 7(!) times more than 2022."

The BBC says 'up to 3 times' and we know they are right....

Jeez, and you complain about rancour on this Forum and then indulge in petty nit picking FFS!

Can we please have a civilised thread where the topic is discussed politely without snide comments which do nothing to advance the debate?

Or has your sole contribution to this Forum become one where you attempt to ridicule or demean other posters contributions?

**Andy_Faber** · 13-12-2025, 03:32 PM

The oversubscription for the first ballot suggests the world has put its collective disgust to one side in favour of wanting to be there.

I note, although its only what I've read rather than being 'in the scrum' that dynamic pricing WASN'T used at this stage.

Regarding pricing, Americans (who will make up most of the neutrals) are used to high ticket prices, both sporting and music, and the vox pop on TV last night suggested that they just accepted World Cup pricing as following the same lines

**swaledale** · 13-12-2025, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by Andy_Faber View Post

The oversubscription for the first ballot suggests the world has put its collective disgust to one side in favour of wanting to be there.

I note, although its only what I've read rather than being 'in the scrum' that dynamic pricing WASN'T used at this stage.

Regarding pricing, Americans (who will make up most of the neutrals) are used to high ticket prices, both sporting and music, and the vox pop on TV last night suggested that they just accepted World Cup pricing as following the same lines

Indeed, the only reason people get ripped off is that they pay the prices asked, whether that be for the World Cup, Premier League or gig tickets.

**Andy_Faber** · 13-12-2025, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by swaledale View Post

Indeed, the only reason people get ripped off is that they pay the prices asked, whether that be for the World Cup, Premier League or gig tickets.

Not sure there's even an answer. Logically the oversubscription suggests the tickets were UNDER-priced.

Without knowing the precise distribution of funds so received by FIFA, a nominally non-profit organisation, I wouldn't know whether to be 'disgusted of Derby' or not, but the boss getting $5m salary isn't a good sign

**swaledale** · 14-12-2025, 09:29 AM

That is logical if the principle is one of pure capitalism, i.e. charge what the "market" will tolerate. But if the principle is one of inclusivity, a claim made by FIFA that the 2026 World Cup will be the most inclusive ever, then setting prices that potentially exclude genuine fans means that claim is a lie.

What is happening is a general monetisation of sport and indeed music, where fans pay extortionate prices often for a seat so far away from the game or performer, that one may as well watch it on TV, indeed one often finishes up watching big screens to see the action!

In addition if you pay the £500 or so for the guaranteed matches the three group games now if you want to go to them. However, if you want to have a ticket from that 8% allocation, you have to pay the £4,500 for knockout games in advance too, however slim your teams chance of progress may be. You would have to pay that five grand on your credit card in January, and if England fail then you possibly might not get the refund until September; the terms and conditions give Fifa 60 calendar days to cough up once a team is eliminated minus their $10 admin charge.

Oh and it also seems that the official resale site run by FIFA, claims 30% commission on the resale price, 15% from the seller and 15% from the buyer! is there no end to FIFA's scalping?

I understand FIFA have defended the prices based on their premise that all funds are reinvested in football, presumably minus the the cost of awarding the orange buffoon a "peace prize" and the cost of the staging the world cup draw fiasco and as you say the salaries of the FIFA illuminati, plus I guess their extensive travel and hospitality!

But football is supposed to be the peoples game, the atmosphere in stadiums isn't generated by the "suits" in executive boxes, it comes from the passionate fans and this is especially the case at a World Cup where fans from across the globe are an essential part of the spectacle, but are priced out in favour of those who have the means to pay to attend, but whose interest in the game is cursory at best.

Is there an answer? Well yes IMO there is, FIFA could have set a price that was within reach of the majority of football fans. Yes demand would be in excess of supply, but that's always going to be the case and a ballot system give everyone the chance to participate. That would be a truly inclusive World CUP, rather than a market orientated money generation exercise that essentially means football is now just another commodity to be sold to the highest bidder.

For myself, I have a set of criteria which determines whether I will pay to watch football or go to a gig. A ceiling on the price that I am prepared to pay to watch multi millionaires and a seat that gives me a good view of the action. I may miss out, but then I can get the same satisfaction from watching lower league or non league football and lesser known but talented artists, or even in many cases well known artists who don't rip their fans off.

**Ram Pant** · 14-12-2025, 10:00 AM

I'll settle for watching the World Cup via televisual means. Dutch games I can watch on the NOS (Dutch state broadcaster). England games on BBC. BBC1 and 2 are part of the TV package I pay for so I can watch England games on there. ITV isn't available over here so watching England games broadcast there put me in a "sticky" situation unless, as I expect, NOS will broadcast the England games.

Flights, hotels, internal transfers, food, drink and match tickets will cost more than an arm and a leg plus due to my comments online about the current POTUS, I'm unlikely to be granted permission to enter the country.

**Andy_Faber** · 14-12-2025, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Ram Pant View Post

I'll settle for watching the World Cup via televisual means. Dutch games I can watch on the NOS (Dutch state broadcaster). England games on BBC. BBC1 and 2 are part of the TV package I pay for so I can watch England games on there. ITV isn't available over here so watching England games broadcast there put me in a "sticky" situation unless, as I expect, NOS will broadcast the England games.

Flights, hotels, internal transfers, food, drink and match tickets will cost more than an arm and a leg plus due to my comments online about the current POTUS, I'm unlikely to be granted permission to enter the country.

Ignoring the 'sticky' issue, are you not allowed satellite dishes in The Netherlands?

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