ENGLAND fans got a kick in the ballots yesterday as Fifa launched a rip-off ticket lottery with sky high prices of at least £135-a-seat.
The main ticket ballot for next summer’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico gave fans a chance to stake their claim on a seat.
But only a tiny proportion of tickets were affordable while the vast majority will cost a fortune of up to £3,129 for a World Cup Final seat if the Three Lions go all the way.
Fans blasted world football’s fat cat chiefs yesterday as next summer’s tournament was confirmed to cost at least twice as much as pricey Qatar in 2022.
Football Supporters Europe described FIFA’s approach as a “monumental betrayal” of fans.
Spurs fan Sam Eversden, 47, a PR manager from Uxbridge, North West London, said: “These prices have ruined football. The final prices are outrageous.
“It’s no longer a game for the people. Taking a family of four even to a group game would cost £800 – that’s the price of a week’s holiday – without the flights and hotels?
“What planet are FIFA on?”
Crystal Palace fan Chris Dandy, 48, a civil servant from South Godstone, Surrey, said: “I’m a regular England fan but there’s no way me or anyone I know could afford this.”
West Brom fan Max Veltman, 43, from Birmingham, said: “Infantino is even worse than Sepp Blatter. How can he think normal football fans could afford a tournament at these prices? Football is now only for the wealthy.
Only a lucky few will get cheaper seats if their names are drawn at random from millions expected to apply for the ballot before the window closes on January 13.
And Fifa fatcats will rake in millions from blocks of seating held back for the lucrative resale market – which they have grabbed a 30 per cent stake in for the first time.
Only a few hundred seats in most stadia – 20 times fewer than at previous tournaments – will be in the most affordable Category Four price range in the distant upper tiers of stands.
And determined supporters desperate to see captain Harry Kane and our boys battle to end 60 years of hurt will be forced to fork out at least £5,000 for tickets alone if we reach the final.
Around 60 per cent of seats in grounds will be in the most expensive Category One reserved “prawn sandwich brigade” corporate guests and the wealthiest fans.
Another 20 per cent will be in the slightly cheaper categories two and three with a paltry one per cent in the most affordable Category Four, according to Fifa venue maps.
The FA emailed members of the England Supporters’ Travel Club (ESTC) with the pricing bands confirming their worst fears yesterday.
Figures showed the lowest price for any England game at around £135 rocketing to £3,129 for a World Cup final ticket if Thomas Tuchel’s side go all the way next summer.
Dedicated Three Lions fans who have collected ESTC loyalty points accrued by following the national team will be offered category two tickets at category three prices.
The cheapest Fifa tickets available for England’s group games against Panama and Ghana will cost £135.
But a seat at our opening game against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas on June 17 will cost at least around £200.
The round of 32 and last 16 games are similarly priced — £175 and £220 — but the cost then soars if England progress.
An official quarter-final ticket set back fans £508, a semi-final seat £687 rising to £3,129 should we reach the final at the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on July 19.
That compares to the cheapest official ticket for the final between France and Argentina in 2022 which only set supporters back around £450.
And the total totted up cost of following England all the way to glory last night stood at £5,186 – for tickets alone.
‘SERIOUS IMPACT’ EXPECTED
Flights and hotel prices are also heading through the roof as seven million fans make plans to converge on a record number of games across 16 cities in three countries.
From 4pm yesterday, fans could apply for tickets on Fifa’s website for the matches of their choice with four available per household up to a maximum of 40 across the tournament.
There is no advantage to applying early as all fixtures remain available throughout the entire period until the ballot is drawn and successful applicants notified in February.
But the process looks certain to leave thousands of loyal fans at the mercy of the secondary ticket market – otherwise known as online touts – who charge according to demand.
Fifa has staked a claim in the lucrative resale market for the first time and will pocket 15 per cent from both buyers and sellers every time a ticket changes hands.
And the “dynamic pricing” plan enacted by soccer’s rulers could grab fortunes as top tickets sell four or five times and end up costing tens of thousands of pounds.
Fifa claims it is raking in a share of the resale market to discourage transactions by raising prices – and insists all funds raised are pumped back into football.
Soccer’s global governing body is also facing a political bias probe over last week’s toe-curling draw ceremony starring US President Donald Trump and the Village People.
Fans across Europe were in revolt last night – including supporters of rivals Croatia – who face the same costs as England.
England fans were rocked further last night as it was revealed their ticket allocation will not be in sections behind a goal for the first time, ruining the atmosphere.
The Football Supporters’ Association said: “Apart from the astonishing ticket prices, it remains unclear whether national associations will be given sections behind the goal.
“This would be a drastic change to prior tournaments and would no doubt have a serious impact on the atmosphere.”
