Loyal England supporters are in open revolt after discovering the eye-watering cost of following the Three Lions to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, with many being effectively priced out of the tournament.
The Staggering Price of Following England
Fans have accused FIFA of greed after budgeting revealed that a trip for two next summer could cost an astonishing £50,000 when factoring in tickets, hotels, and flights. This sky-high financial barrier is causing dedicated followers to turn their backs on the tournament in droves. The situation is so severe that in one WhatsApp group of eight regular England fans—who have not missed a single qualifier in this campaign—six have already stated they simply cannot afford to go.
This marks a dramatic shift from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which the same group all attended. For the 2026 event in the USA, only two are likely to make the trip. The cost of tickets alone is a major factor, with the cheapest seat for the World Cup final priced at a staggering £3,120. Even watching England’s opening group game against Croatia in Dallas next June will set fans back at least £200.
Voice of the Fans: "It's Madness and Not Fair"
Among those affected is Garford Beck, a 63-year-old Derby fan and one of the England Supporters’ Travel Club’s 700-plus "top cappers" who has not missed a game for years. Beck estimates that even on an incredibly tight budget, involving group travel and budget accommodation, the trip will cost him over £12,000.
"But one of my friends has budgeted for £50,000 and he’s thinking he won’t bother at all now. That is just ridiculous," Beck said. He contrasted this with the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which he described as the best for fans, with a total budget under £5,000 for a group staying in one villa.
"Now it is coming in close to three times that amount and for many fans it is completely out of reach," he added. "I’m hearing so many stories about fans not going because they can’t afford it but they also don’t want to give their money to FIFA. It’s madness. It’s not fair. And it will also be really bad for the tournament if there are no genuine fans in the stadiums. We are the ones which make the atmosphere."
FIFA's Pricing and the Future of Fan Attendance
The Football Association is set to raise these serious concerns with FIFA, which has faced widespread criticism for its 2026 pricing structure. Despite promises to "ring fence" prices for genuine supporters, high demand for tickets to see nations like England, Spain, and Portugal has driven costs up significantly.
Compounding the issue is the generally higher price of sports and concert tickets in the United States compared to the UK. FIFA sent out an online link to the England Supporters’ Travel Club on 15 December 2025, allowing members to buy tickets all the way to the final with an option to return them if Thomas Tuchel's team is eliminated early, albeit with a return charge.
For lifelong fans like Garford Beck, who even managed to attend England’s 1-1 draw in Poland during September 2021 COVID restrictions, the 2026 World Cup represents a journey too far. The fear now is that stadiums will be filled with corporate attendees rather than the passionate supporters who create the iconic tournament atmosphere, fundamentally changing the fan experience for the world's biggest sporting event.
