Fans should not be ‘ripped off’ by World Cup tickets, PM tells Fifa
Sir Keir Starmer said he is urging Fifa to “take action”
Fifa must make sure fans are not being “ripped off” over World Cup ticket prices, the Prime Minister has said, branding the situation “unacceptable”.
Fans going to the World Cup have complained of being misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing while Fifa’s public statements and ticket releases have possibly contributed to soaring prices.
Sir Keir Starmer said he is urging world football’s governing body to “take action” amid concerns fans are being exploited.
The Prime Minister’s intervention also comes after the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey insisted Fifa must answer questions after allegations of “artificially inflating prices” and “misleading fans” over the sale of match tickets earlier this week.
Speaking to the Sun, Sir Keir said: “Football fans should come first, that’s why I’m urging Fifa to take action to ensure people buying World Cup tickets are not ripped off.
“In less than a fortnight, thousands of passionate supporters will be making their way to the US, Canada and Mexico to cheer on England and Scotland.
“It is unacceptable for fans to be exploited for wanting to support their country on the biggest stage.”
It is the latest intervention by Sir Keir, an Arsenal fan, into the cost of football for fans.
Last week, he urged broadcaster TNT Sports to make Saturday’s Champions League final available for free, saying he was “saddened” to see the competition not be free to watch for football supporters in the UK.
It has previously been reported that supporters feel “misled” about the location of their seats, including through the creation of more expensive “front” category tickets released after the initial sales.
It is also alleged variable pricing through various phases and subject to demand had allowed Fifa to raise prices for about 90 of the 104 fixtures by an average of 34%.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and her New York counterpart Letitia James have specifically requested details about ticketing practices for eight World Cup matches hosted in New Jersey, including England’s group game with Panama on June 27 and the World Cup final on July 19.
The investigation will consider how the ticket release schedule and public statements may have impacted prices.
Fifa has been contacted for comment.