Sports

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has called on FIFA to immediately halt sales of national team allocations for next year’s World Cup, accusing football’s governing body of imposing “extortionate” ticket prices that risk shutting ordinary fans out of the tournament. In a statement on Thursday, the European fan umbrella group said prices for tickets allocated to Participating Member Associations (PMAs) – typically distributed via official supporters’ clubs or loyalty schemes – had reached “astronomical” levels.FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. FSE said based on price tables quietly circulated to national associations, a supporter following their team from the first group match through to the final via the PMA route would pay at least $6,900, almost five times the equivalent cost at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. FSE said national team supporters were being asked to pay the full amount in early 2026 in order to secure the right to buy tickets all the way to the final.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the opening of ticket sales for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, pricing entry-level tickets at historic lows to drive accessibility for the pinnacle event. Sales will begin at 18h45 IST with prices starting at just ₹100 (approximately $1.11) at some venues in India and LKR1000 (approximately $3.26) in Sri Lanka. The landmark 10th edition of the tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, featuring matches across eight venues from 7 February to 8 March.The excitement begins with the tournament opener between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo, followed by a clash of the West Indies and Bangladesh in Kolkata, capped by a showdown between India and the USA in Mumbai. The ICC has reduced one of the primary entry barriers for fans to experience the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by making the tickets highly affordable in Phase I. With pricing starting from ₹100 in India and LKR1000 in Sri Lanka and more than 2 million tickets going on sale, the ICC aspires to democratize the in-stadia experience of ICC events.