£5,000 Shock: 6 Reasons Fans Demand World Cup Boycott
England fans urge the FA to confront FIFA over World Cup ticket prices, as soaring costs and fan boycott calls grow amid fears of supporter exploitation.
The Football Association is facing calls from fans to lead a World Cup ticket boycott in protest at Fifa prices.
An England Supporters Travel Club member wrote to the FA’s chair and chief executive to also express concern over a lack of dialogue with fans.
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The governing body is planning to speak to tournament chiefs after it emerged that watching England in the United States, Canada and Mexico may end up setting back supporters at least £5,000.
However, with the FA yet to denounce Fifa publicly, fan anger is mounting over prices that include $4,185 (£3,128) for the cheapest available ticket to the final.
The author of the letter has not revealed his name, but fellow travel club members say his sentiments are shared by a host of regular travelling England supporters. Fifa would “think again” if national associations threatened to refuse to sell their ticket allocations, the letter says.
“If true leadership was shown, and support for the fans who fuel the game with their passion, commitment and, yes, their money (with no FFP laws protecting us), the FA and other Football Associations participating next year would refuse their ticketing allocations, in order to make Fifa think again,” the unnamed author writes.
“I see this as the only action that could work. It pains me, as a dedicated England supporter, to quote a Scotsman to make a valid point, however Jock Stein was and is right – ‘football is nothing without its fans’. And right now, the lack of action and communication on your part, towards and on behalf of England fans, is troubling.”
Telegraph Sport has contacted the FA to check the letter has been received. The letter, published on various social media accounts, says “family trips next summer [have been] put into jeopardy, members contemplating ways to take on debt in order to follow the team they love, and in many cases dedication to the England cause/ESTC being brought into question”.
“We have heard nothing from you so far,” the letter tells the FA. “Why can’t you talk to us directly? The lack of direct contact increasingly raises the suspicion that any raising of concerns next week with Fifa will be short and benign. Perhaps this is how you intend it to be, what with being in the running to host the Women’s World Cup in 2035.”
The Football Supporters’ Association had already accused Fifa president Gianni Infantino of exploiting fan loyalty for profit following an exponential rise in ticket prices from the most recent World Cup.
“The prices set for the 2026 World Cup are scandalous, a step too far for many supporters who passionately and loyally follow their national sides at home and abroad,” the FSA said in a statement.
Telegraph Sport has contacted the FA to check the letter has been received. The letter, published on various social media accounts, says “family trips next summer [have been] put into jeopardy, members contemplating ways to take on debt in order to follow the team they love, and in many cases dedication to the England cause/ESTC being brought into question”.
“We have heard nothing from you so far,” the letter tells the FA. “Why can’t you talk to us directly? The lack of direct contact increasingly raises the suspicion that any raising of concerns next week with Fifa will be short and benign. Perhaps this is how you intend it to be, what with being in the running to host the Women’s World Cup in 2035.”
The Football Supporters’ Association had already accused Fifa president Gianni Infantino of exploiting fan loyalty for profit following an exponential rise in ticket prices from the most recent World Cup.
“The prices set for the 2026 World Cup are scandalous, a step too far for many supporters who passionately and loyally follow their national sides at home and abroad,” the FSA said in a statement.
“Everything we feared about the direction in which Fifa wants to take the game was confirmed – Gianni Infantino only sees supporter loyalty as something to be exploited for profit.”
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