Why Socceroos fans could be forced to shell out an astonishing $300,000 for tickets to the FIFA World Cup – after some already paid $99 to Football Australia only to miss out in the ballot
Countless rusted-on Socceroos fans have been priced out of tickets to the FIFA World Cup this year, with some greedy scalpers asking for an astonishing $322,000 for some games.
It comes after many supporters paid a $99 fee to Football Australia just to lodge an application for World Cup tickets, which they missed out on once the random ballots were revealed this week.
Mark Bowman has followed the Socceroos since their first World Cup appearance in 1974, and hoped to travel to the tournament that will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11.
But Bowman, 65, was left disgruntled after only securing tickets to one of Australia’s group matches – against Paraguay – on June 26 in Santa Clara, California.
‘To have created a scheme which charges money, knowing people are desperate and are going to pay, and that you have fans who have been with the Socceroos through thick and thin, but to ultimately allocate the tickets at random, that really bugs me,’ Bowman told the Sydney Morning Herald.
With thousands of Socceroos supporters heading to the World Cup – many not armed with tickets – they are in for a rude shock.
Countless rusted-on Socceroos fans have been priced out of tickets to the FIFA World Cup this year, with some greedy scalpers asking for an astonishing $322,000 for some games
It comes after many supporters forked out $99 to Football Australia just to lodge an application for World Cup tickets, which they missed out on once the random ballots were revealed this week
Some tickets to the Socceroos’ game with the USMNT in Seattle on June 20 are listed online for as much as $40,700 (pictured, coach Tony Popovic)
If they are lucky enough to watch Tony Popovic’s men in the flesh, it won’t come cheap.
Tickets to Australia’s game with the US in Seattle on June 20 are listed online for as much as $40,700.
Even tickets for the lowest-quality seating, category 4, which are worth $60, are currently listed for $6,500.
Attending the World Cup final will be unrealistic for many, with some tickets listed for a jaw-dropping $322,000.
Patrick Clancy, the head of advocacy group Football Supporters Australia, expects many fans to instead watch the action at home.
‘At this stage, people are probably not going to go if they can’t get any tickets,’ he told the ABC.
‘I will say this…some Australian football fans are so passionate they won’t let anything get in their way.
‘They see this as a huge four-year event and they’ll go wherever it is…and they’ll empty their pockets so that they can attend.’
Despite the hefty price tag, sales remain brisk, with FIFA claiming they are catering to 500 million ticket requests globally.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams and will take place from June 11 to July 19.
