[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, ticket prices for multiple World Cup fixtures have fallen. Reports state that FIFA previously stockpiled large quantities of tickets, inflating prices artificially, with roughly one million high-priced tickets still unsold. Ticket costs for numerous matches have slumped sharply by nearly half. Tickets for England’s opening game against Croatia dropped from £837 in mid-April to £513, marking a 39% price cut. Prices for England’s clash with Ghana fell from £690 to £409, a 41% decline. Another 1,300 tickets were released for England’s final group-stage match versus Panama, reselling at £491, down 29% from the original £690. Tickets for fixtures including Scotland against Haiti have slipped below £200. FIFA had been selling tickets at steep markups for months, with final match tickets on 19 July priced as high as £24,560. Experts predict ticket prices will follow a similar trajectory to last year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where Chelsea’s quarter-final tickets plummeted from £280 to just £8.
The editor believes that FIFA has seriously overestimated fans’ willingness to pay. As match days draw near, ticket prices are set to drop further. Airfare and hotel rates are also declining, which could trigger a final rush of last-minute purchases.