A FIFA World Cup comes once every four years and ticket prices for next year’s edition in North America are likely to burn a hole in fans’ pockets.

Tickets in the ‘supporters value’ tier for matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada next June-July are priced at $4,185 (more than Rs 3,77,500). It is a monumental increase from the price of the cheapest tickets at the last edition in Qatar in 2022 – a little over $600 (less than Rs 55,000).

Fans group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has called the pricing strategy ‘extortionate’ and called on FIFA to stop ticket sales immediately. They called it “a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is”.

In a departure from recent tournaments, group stage games are bei

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