FIFA Introduces Discounted Ticket Tier for German Fans at 2026 World Cup Amid Ongoing Price Concerns

FIFA has announced a new, more affordable ticket category for the 2026 World Cup called the 'Supporter Entry Tier' or 'Basisrang', priced at $60 (about €51), aimed specifically at fans of qualified national teams, including Germany. This initiative comes as a response to global protests over high ticket prices and will apply to all 104 matches of the tournament, which takes place from June 11 to July 19 across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

The German Football Association (DFB) will manage the distribution of these discounted tickets for German fans. However, access is limited: the DFB receives only about 8% of the available tickets per game allocated to their fan block, with just 10% of those tickets falling into the new base price category. For Germany's group matches, ticket quotas stand at 4,307 against Curaçao, 2,452 versus Ivory Coast, and 4,826 for Ecuador. Despite the introduction of these cheaper options, the current lowest ticket prices for Germany's group matches remain high, ranging from €155 to €600.

Demand for tickets is immense, with around 20 million orders received globally since the sales started on December 11, positioning Germany as one of the top countries in ticket requests—second only to host nations in some reports, and third in others behind Colombia and England. The DFB has previously criticized the high cost, highlighting challenges related to expensive travel and accommodation for German supporters.

Criticism persists from fan associations and the DFB regarding the limited number of affordable tickets and insufficient consideration for disabled fans. Although international groups like Football Supporters Europe have welcomed the new pricing category, they emphasize the large gaps between ticket tiers and the need for better accessibility provisions.

FIFA has also indicated that fans purchasing tickets for the knockout stages must pay upfront during the ongoing application phase, with processing fees waived should a supported team fail to advance.

These developments reflect FIFA's efforts to balance massive global demand and fan affordability, though German supporters remain cautious due to limited ticket quotas and high baseline prices.