Sawt Falasteen - FIFA announces $60 World Cup tickets for 'loyal fans'

FIFA, the governing body of world football, said in a statement that it had created "Supporter Entry Tier tickets set at 60 US dollars each and available for all 104 matches, including the final".

It said the plan was "designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament".

FIFA said that the $60 (51 euros) tickets would be reserved for fans of qualified teams and would make up 10 percent of each national federation's allotment.

Last week, fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called prices "extortionate" and "astronomical".

FSE said ticket prices were almost five times higher than in 2022 in Qatar.

"If a supporter were to follow their team from the first match to the final it would cost them a minimum of $6,900," said the FSE.

FSE added that World Cup organisers had promised tickets priced from $21 in a bid document released in 2018.

Announcing the $60 tickets on Tuesday, FIFA said that national federations "are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams".

FIFA also said that if fans bought tickets for games in the knock-out rounds only to find their team eliminated at earlier stage, they "will have the administrative fee waived when refunds are processed."

It added that it was making the announcement "amid extraordinary global demand for tickets" with 20 million requests already submitted.

The draw for tickets of all prices in this first round of sales will take place on Tuesday, January 13.

B.Khalifa--SF-PST