Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and Euroconsumers have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, alleging that the football body has abused its monopoly position to impose excessive ticket prices and opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes on European fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; fair and transparent access to tickets is essential.
Euroconsumers and FSE have identified six specific abuses:
1. Sky-high prices – higher than previous editions and higher than FIFA’s own estimate
The cheapest openly available final tickets now start at $4,185 – more than seven times the cost of the cheapest 2022 World Cup final ticket. By contrast, the cheapest UEFA EURO 2024 final tickets € 95 (approx. $100). FIFA’s own bid documents projected an average ticket price of $1,408 but that number has been left far behind.
2. Bait advertising – the $60 ticket that barely existed
FIFA repeatedly advertised $60 group-stage tickets. In practice they were so scarce that the entire Category 4 inventory was practically sold out before general public sales opened. Not only did it leave fans disappointed but also advertising a price that is not genuinely available is bait advertising. It is illegal under EU consumer law.
3. Uncontrolled dynamic pricing – prices that kept climbing with no warning
FIFA used ‘variable pricing’, or dynamic pricing, with no cap and no transparency on how prices are set. Some tickets rose 25% between sales phases. Fans had no clear way of knowing the final price before joining the queue.
4. Opacity rules – structural lack of transparency
Seat locations, stadium maps, and even the teams playing are not guaranteed at purchase – with in many cases limited or no right to a refund. Fans are spending thousands without knowing what they are getting.
5. Pressure selling tactics – feeding the fear of losing out
Emails to fans claimed “exclusive access” to a “limited” ticket window that doesn’t reflect reality. By creating artificial urgency, FIFA pressured fans into making rushed decisions.
6. A double win – paying twice on resales
FIFA discourages established resale platforms as “unsafe” and funnels fans to its own marketplace, where both buyer and seller are charged a 15% fee, significantly increasing the overall cost for fans. On an $800 ticket, FIFA collects an extra $240 on top of the original sale price.
The World Cup starts on 11 June 2026. Time is short.
Euroconsumers and FSE is calling on the European Commission to act now and order FIFA to:
- Stop using dynamic pricing for all tickets sold to fans in the EEA for the rest of the 2026 World Cup
- Freeze ticket prices for the upcoming April sales phase at the levels FIFA itself announced in December 2025
- Publish, at least 48 hours before the April window opens, how many tickets are left in each category and exactly where those seats are in the stadium
- Respect consumers’ rights in both the primary and secondary ticketing markets.
“Football is a universal passion, but FIFA is treating it like a private luxury by exploiting its absolute monopoly over World Cup ticketing. By imposing opaque pricing, dark patterns to pressure buyers and exorbitant resale fees, FIFA is placing an unfair financial burden on millions of European fans. We are calling on the European Commission to intervene immediately with interim measures to halt these exploitative practices before the 2026 tournament begins” said Marco Scialdone, Head of Litigation at Euroconsumers.
“For several months now we have urged FIFA to do right by fans and reconsider its aggressive and exploitative ticketing policies. FIFA’s failure to engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders yet again has left us with no option but to join forces with Euroconsumers in filing this complaint with the European Commission. FIFA point to their unconfirmed sales figures as validation of their unfair ticket practices, while the reality is they leave loyal fans with no other choice – pay up or lose out” said Ronan Evain, Executive Director at Football Supporters Europe.
The FIFA case: why we call for a ban on dynamic pricing in live events
Euroconsumers has been at the forefront to point out the risks of dynamic pricing in live events. Together with Football Supporters Europe, Live DMA and Reset Network it has called for a ban of this practice for i.e. sports and cultural events, where limited supply and high demand leave consumers with little real choice. The FIFA case is a painful demonstration of what dynamic pricing leads to when one organiser holds all the power.
“Dynamic pricing turns fans’ loyalty into a bidding war, inflates costs without added value, and locks out many supporters. FIFA must stop this practice and ensure all fans can access tickets under fair and transparent conditions,” said Els Bruggeman, Head of Policy and Enforcement at Euroconsumers.
Full complaint here.
World Cup Belongs to Fans video.
The Real Price of Priceless webpage.
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