FIFA lowers prices for select World Cup tickets to $60 after backlash

Next year’s World Cup will feature at least a handful of affordable tickets at each game after widespread criticism.

FIFA announced Tuesday a new tier of tickets that will allow fans of participating teams to attend matches, including the World Cup final, for $60. 

FIFA will distribute the tickets to federations of the participating nations in each match. The nations will then be able to sell the affordable seats to their fans, the organization said.

The $60 tickets are intended for die-hard supporters who have attended previous international soccer games. 

The World Cup, running June 11 to July 19, sparked international backlash last week when it unveiled a dynamic pricing plan that featured few, if any, affordable tickets. The cheapest seats ranged from $120 to $250 for most matches. 

FIFA officials noted that they received more than 20 million ticket requests after the group draw this month.

European fans who plan to attend the tournament — which will be hosted by Mexico, Canada and the U.S. — were particularly enraged. The England Supporters Travel Club released a report that estimated its fans would have to spend at least $7,000 to attend every match from the group stage to a hypothetical final. 

FIFA is in its third phase of ticket sales, which will continue until Jan. 13. Tickets will be awarded via a random draw. Fans who successfully purchase tickets will be automatically charged and notified of their tickets in February. 

American fans were similarly disgruntled. The joint hosting committee originally promised that there would be hundreds of thousands of tickets available for $21 when it initially made its bid to FIFA in 2017.

This article is based in part on wire service reports.