Khaberni - In a striking economic paradox, a recent report revealed a huge gap in the costs of attending major events, where UEFA intends to set the prices of tickets for the European Nations Cup "Euro 2028", to the extent that a fan can buy 5 match tickets for the same value of one parking space at the stadiums hosting the World Cup 2026 in the United States.
World Cup 2026.. "Dynamic pricing" raises costs
According to a report by "BBC Sport", FIFA faces sharp criticism due to the "dynamic pricing" policy that has led to inflated ticket prices and accompanying services.
Parking costs: The average price of parking at the World Cup stadiums reached $175, rising to $225 at the "MetLife" stadium in New York.
Tickets: The cheapest category of group stage matches starts at $220, rising to $700 for the higher categories, with a lack of transparency in the allocation of each category.
Resale market: FIFA imposes a 30% commission on resale transactions (15% on the buyer and 15% on the seller), which fuels prices in the secondary market.
Euro 2028.. "Fans First" strategy
In contrast, the European Union has adopted an economic model aimed at ensuring "easy access" through:
Allocation of quotas: 40% of the tickets will be allocated to the economy categories under the motto (Fans First), targeting a price lower than 30 British pounds for the cheapest category.
Price freezing: The general public ticket prices will be financed through high returns from a limited category of VIP+ tickets.
Social benefits: People with special needs will be able to obtain economically priced tickets with a "free ticket" for an accompanying person, unlike the World Cup which charges full price without a free companion.
