Some high-profile Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom (UK) have issued a stern warning to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) over the ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA has faced increasing pressure from football fans and advocacy groups who have criticised the ticket prices for the Mundial, noting that they are significantly higher than those for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Two MPs in the UK Parliament, Stephen Mark Fynn of the Scottish National Party for South Aberdeen and Anas Sarwar, leader of the Labour Party have expressed outrage over the skyrocketing prices, describing the system as “a scam.”
During a discussion on the BBC, Fynn said, “Take your money, stick it in their bank account for months on end for a game you might never go to, and then give it back to you, less an administration fee. I mean, that’s the worst bank you’ve ever heard of. But it’s a complete scam. Fans are being fleeced for basic tickets, they’re being fleeced for future rounds.
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“And it’s incumbent upon our representatives in the FA, in Scotland, in England, hopefully, and in Ireland, if they can qualify as well, to get together with bodies right across the rest of the world and demand an end to this. It’s not good enough.”
Afterwards, his colleague MP Anas Sarwar called on federations to fight the ticket pricing system.
“It’s utterly shameful and it has to be stopped. This is a deliberate fleecing, not just of Scotland fans, but of fans from every nation represented in the World Cup. Football is about the fans. Football is about making memories, positive and happy memories.
“I think back to the World Cup in ’98, and honestly, what Steve Clarke and the guys have done is incredible. It has lifted the mood of an otherwise low-feeling nation. Genuinely, we all have to join forces with confederations and nations across the globe and say to FIFA: not a chance.”
Watch the video below:
@bbcnews For the entire tournament through to the final, it will cost between £5,225 to £12,357 for one person to go to all eight matches. Fifa has not yet commented on its pricing decisions. #WorldCup2026 #Fifa #Football #News #BBCNews ♬ original sound – BBC News
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