W杯はい決勝戦けっしょうせんチケット価格かかくの高騰こうとう――伝統でんとうと普遍性ふへんせいを揺ゆるがす「法外ほうがいな負担ふたん」に対たいするファンの憤いきどおり

The start of the Mens Soccer World Cup is about six months away, but for many supporters who are considering traveling to North America to watch the tournament next summer, the soaring ticket prices have become a serious concern.

In the latest ticket sales phase that started this week, the price of tickets for the final has been set at over $4,000 about ¥623,320, and this outrageous pricing has drawn strong criticism from fans around the world.

As a result, even devoted supporters who have cheered for the team for many years are finding it increasingly difficult to attend the tournaments.

The cause of the criticism stems from the fact that on the 11th, the International Federation of Association Football FIFA distributed ticket allocations called PMA allocations to the national football associations.

This is a system that allows each federation to sell tickets to eligible domestic fans through programs such as membership systems.

However, many fans who have supported the team for years are now facing extremely high prices and are left with no choice but to either purchase expensive tickets or watch the games at home.

The supporter group Football Supporters Europe FSE harshly criticized the excessive burden FIFA is placing on loyal fans, insisting that ticket sales should be suspended until a solution is found that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup.

According to an FSE survey, fans will need at least 6,900 US dollars to follow their national team from the first match of the group stage to the final, which is about five times more than the previous World Cup held in Qatar.

Not only ticket prices, but also transportation and accommodation costs are rising, putting a heavy burden on fans.

In particular, there are concerns that longtime supporters of the team may be unable to compete with more affluent people and will be forced to give up attending the stadium.

Furthermore, this could also affect the atmosphere of the matches held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

For example, the Football Association FA of England shared its ticket pricing system with supporter groups on the 11th, announcing that the lowest-priced ticket for the opening match against Croatia would be $265.

However, if England advances to the final, ticket prices for the final will be at least $4,185 and up to $8,680.

Furthermore, these expenses must be paid by the beginning of the following year, making the situation even tougher for fans.

The Football Supporters Association FSA of England and Wales has also pointed out that this price is too much of a burden for many supporters.

On the other hand, FIFA has conducted two rounds of ticket sales so far, but both took place before the matchups and schedule had been decided.

This time, for the first time, fans had the opportunity to apply for tickets after their national team’s opponents had been decided.

FIFA repeatedly emphasized that this tournament will be affordable for fans, but the cheapest group stage tickets $60 USD were not allocated to each countrys football federation, so in the end, the most passionate fans had no choice but to buy expensive tickets.

Furthermore, fans who are not eligible for PMA allocation can also apply for tickets to each match through a lottery system starting from the 11th.

However, for the first time in World Cup history, group stage ticket prices were not uniform but adjusted according to the demand for each match, resulting in fans from different countries paying different amounts even for the same round.

FSE strongly condemned the system, stating, Such a system is a serious betrayal of the World Cups traditions and disregards the contributions of the supporters who have supported the tournament so far.

The presence of supporters is essential to soccer, and it is expected that pressure on FIFA will continue to increase so that more people can participate in next year’s World Cup.