'Betrayed' fans face £5,000 bill for World Cup tickets

Call for an 'immediate halt' to ticket sales after it was found that prices are five times higher than Qatar 2022 tournament

- MIGUEL DELANEY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

England fans have been warned they could expect to pay more than £5,000 on match tickets alone if they want to follow their country at next summer's World Cup and Thomas Tuchel's team go all the way to the final, which has been priced at over £3,000.

The Independent understands some national associations have reacted in horror after they were informed that PMA (Participating Member Associations) tickets are up to five times more expensive than the last World Cup in Qatar, while Football Supporters Europe (FSE), the main European fan group, has accused Fifa of "betrayal" and called for an "immediate halt" to ticket sales.

Some national associations are said to be “furious”, and England's FA is set to notify the England Supporters Travel Club that eligible members - those who have accrued enough loyalty points to meet their criteria - could expect to pay at least £198 for a "value tier" seat at their opening game of the tournament against Croatia in Dallas. PMAs are allocated eight per cent of the tickets for each match they take part in.