FIFA accused of ''monumental betrayal'' over latest World Cup ticket prices
Washington (AP): Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a "monumental betrayal" after latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate.
The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans.
And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680.
Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA's claims of $60 tickets being available, while the target from United States soccer officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats across the opening phase of games.
Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate.”
“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” it said in a statement.
The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final it would cost just over $7,000.
FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.
FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1.
In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories.
The lowest priced ticket was $180 for Germany's opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was $920 rising to $1,125.
The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations “until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”
The Associated Press approached FIFA for comment.
Latest phaseFIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its “Random Selection Draw.”
Following last week's draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published.
That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place.
Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups.
Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for.
The draw opened Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT) and closes Jan. 13, 2026.
FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA's website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament.
Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for.
Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically.
PricesThe last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994 prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022 prices ranged from around $70 to $1,600 when ticket details were announced.
Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are already going for in excess of $11,000 on secondary resale sites.
For this tournament FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15% fee based on the total resale price.
FIFA said that closer to the tournament any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis.
It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets.
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Man held for killing 19-year-old college student in Himachal's Mandi
Shimla (PTI): One person has been arrested for allegedly killing a 19-year-old girl by slitting her throat in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, police said on Monday.
According to police, the incident occurred on Monday morning near the Gopalpur area, when the girl, identified as Siya Guleria, was on her way to college.
At that time, two unidentified assailants, riding on a bike, intercepted her and brutally assaulted her with a sharp weapon and slit her throat.
While the girl succumbed to injuries on the spot, the accused fled.
Police reached the spot as soon as they received the information and recovered the body. In the meantime, locals found the 36-year-old suspect in nearby fields where he was hiding.
The villagers also recovered the weapon used in the murder and immediately informed the police.
The situation got tense as locals who caught the culprit demanded that the accused be hanged, while the police team took him into custody and assured strict action against him.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandi, Vinod Kumar, said that a case of Murder has been registered.
The accused, identified as Vikas, has been arrested. Further investigation is underway, the SP said.
Several injury marks were found on the girl's body, and the forensic teams have taken the samples. The body would be handed over to the family members after conducting a postmortem at Nerchowk Medical College, he added.
Expressing deep anguish and strong condemnation over the brutal murder, Governor Kavinder Gupta termed it as "heinous, inhuman and deeply disturbing".
He said that such acts of violence are unacceptable in a civilised society and must be dealt with utmost severity.
The Governor spoke with the Director General of Police (DGP) and took a detailed report of the incident. He directed the police authorities to ensure strict and swift action against the culprit and to bring the guilty to justice at the earliest.
He also emphasised the need for continued vigilance and collective efforts to ensure the safety and security of citizens, especially women, according to a statement issued here.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who met the family members of the victim on Monday, said that there are allegations that the accused was involved in drugs, and this aspect should also be probed. He demanded strict and fast action in the case.
He said that the family members feel that the condition of the road near their house was not good, and had the road been good, the girl would not have had to walk.
