Not only World Cup fans, but even players' families and guests have to pay through the nose for tickets

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, not only are ordinary fans complaining about the eye-watering ticket costs, but even players' families and official guests are being forced to pay premium prices. FIFA's dynamic pricing model is making big holes in the purses of both the ordinary fans and supporters related to players' families.

According to a report by The Guardian, numerous national football associations have been hit by sharp increases when purchasing additional tickets for loved ones and supporters. The report quotes officials as saying that they are surprised by the cost of these tickets.

Average cost up by about $3,000 per ticket

One official from a national association was quoted as saying that the average cost per ticket for players' families and guests has climbed to about $3,000 (£2,200) per ticket. For smaller nations, this has become a massive burden on their budgets.

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However, FIFA has stated that those who booked their tickets on time have been able to get it on normal prices. The global football governing body initially provided a six-week window after the December draw for associations to buy tickets at fixed prices.

However, requests made after late January have fallen under "adaptive pricing," causing costs to rise significantly for many matches. "FIFA sources insisted the average cost of tickets bought by national associations is far lower than $3,000," the report noted.

FIFA recently hiked the qualification and preparation money for the participating nations of the World Cup but still many associations are forecasting losses for the tournament.

The latest development around the pricing of the tickets for the World Cup adds to widespread criticism of FIFA's strategy of 'dynamic pricing'. Even US President Donald Trump had said that he would not like to pay such high prices to watch the World Cup matches. However, the global body has defended the pricing despite heavy criticism.