[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, numerous football associations have faced rising prices when purchasing World Cup tickets for players’ relatives and friends, with teams participating in the current tournament being affected by FIFA’s dynamic pricing model. Although FIFA provided all qualified national associations with a six-week window after the draw last December to buy tickets at fixed prices, any ticket applications submitted from late January this year have been subject to what FIFA refers to as adaptive pricing, driving up ticket costs for most matches. A senior executive from one football association stated that they applied for hundreds of additional tickets in recent weeks and were shocked by the total bill. It is reported that the average cost to secure match entry tickets for players’ families and guests has surged to around 3,000 US dollars per ticket, and this substantial extra expenditure will eat into their tournament budgets.
The editor believes that FIFA’s ticketing policy has long been highly controversial. Many football associations have privately expressed surprise at the price hikes, though sources within FIFA insist that the terms and conditions of ticket sales were clearly stated from the outset, and any association that adhered to the set deadlines should not have faced increased prices.