Why the FA are holding back £45 England tickets at the 2026 World Cup amid ‘crazy’ pricing concerns

England supporters heading to the 2026 World Cup have been handed a rare piece of good news amid mounting concerns over ticket costs, with the Football Association taking steps to ensure some affordable seats remain available for genuine fans.

The move comes as FIFA continues to face criticism over ticket pricing, resale markets and accessibility at the tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Hundreds of low-cost England tickets being held back until eve of matches

According to reports, the FA has decided not to release its allocation of entry-level England tickets until the day before each match in a bid to stop them being snapped up and resold at ‘crazy' prices.

The tickets will cost just $60 (£45) and will be available for England supporters attending matches in North America.

The decision follows growing concerns over resale websites listing England tickets at vastly increased prices.

England's opening group match against Croatia at Dallas Stadium has already seen secondary market tickets advertised for many hundreds of pounds, with some premium packages costing thousands.

FA chiefs hope the late release strategy will ensure the tickets end up in the hands of travelling supporters rather than touts and resale platforms.

The move has also prompted calls from fan representatives for FIFA to adopt a similar approach more widely across the tournament.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the governing body's pricing strategy, arguing that lower prices would simply have resulted in tickets being resold for even greater sums on secondary markets, with profits flowing to resellers rather than football.

FGG says: Should FIFA have done the same?

For England fans already making the trip across North America, this is a genuinely welcome development.

At a World Cup where ticket prices have become one of the biggest talking points, knowing that a number of £45 seats will still be available shortly before kick-off offers at least some hope of affordability.

It also raises an interesting question about whether FIFA could have used similar measures more broadly.

Holding back lower-priced tickets until closer to matches may not solve every issue, but it could have helped limit some of the extreme resale activity that has dominated headlines throughout the build-up to the tournament.

For more insight, don't forget to check out our 2026 World Cup betting guide, which covers everything you need to know about this year’s tournament.