"FIFA has deliberately designed an online exchange which allows tickets to be sold at vastly inflated prices with world football's governing body grabbing 15% of the money from both the buyer and the seller." That's not a fringe fan blog — that's the Football Supporters' Association, in a formal statement to the BBC.
Tickets for Sunday's World Cup last-16 clash between England and Mexico at the Azteca Stadium — originally secured by England Supporters' Travel Club members through a ballot back in December — are now appearing on FIFA's official resale portal with price tags running into the thousands of pounds. They became eligible for resale on Wednesday, the moment England sealed their progress with a 2-1 win over DR Congo.
FIFA's cut from both ends
Here's what makes this particularly cynical: FIFA isn't just allowing the inflation, it's profiting from it. Fifteen percent from the seller. Fifteen percent from the buyer. The governing body takes a slice at both ends of a transaction it designed and controls.
Their defence? "Variable pricing aligns with industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors where the price is adapted to optimise sales and attendance, ensuring fair market value for events." In other words: this is just how things work now. Take it or leave it.
The FSA didn't let supporters entirely off the hook either. "We can't excuse supporters who choose to tout their own tickets at ridiculous prices," they said — and that's a fair point. Someone has to list at those prices for the system to work this way. But the infrastructure that makes it easy, legitimate, and profitable was built by FIFA.
What it means for fans making the trip
For anyone still trying to get into the Azteca on Sunday, the secondary market just got a lot more hostile. England's run to the last 16 has been steady rather than spectacular — a 2-1 win over DR Congo isn't exactly a statement — but the demand for tickets is real, and FIFA's portal is now the legal face of price gouging at this tournament.
The FA confirmed the original allocations went through the supporters' travel club ballot. Somewhere between that ballot in December and Wednesday's resale window opening, a World Cup knockout match became an investment vehicle.
"FIFA has deliberately designed" this — the FSA's word is deliberate, and it's the right one.
