Scotland World Cup 2026: 'Protected' tickets appear on resale site at inflated price as fans group pen letter to FIFA

Having qualified for the first time since 1998, loyal Scotland supporters were left gobsmacked last week when football’s governing body announced ticket costs for the Group C games against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil at next summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada would cost between £134 and £521 per seat - more than five times the cost of tickets at the last tournament in Qatar back in 2022.

Amid the widespread criticism of the high prices, a small number of Scotland fans were informed on Tuesday that they would be eligible to receive cheaper participant member association tickets, with a small portion of the allocation for each match seeing prices beginning at 60 dollars (approximately £45), though, eight per cent of stadium capacity per country per match.

However, FIFA has now courted further ticketing controversy after the usually ‘protected’ accessibility tickets for disabled fans at the 2026 World Cup appeared on the official resale site at more than six times their original cost, according to reports.

Criticised for opting to charge for a companion ticket, usually offered complimentary for supporters who require assistance at games, it has now emerged that accessibility tickets have not been made available in the cheapest category for supporters via the allocation specifically given to each qualified team. The Disability and Inclusion Fan Network of Football Supporters Europe [FSE] has now written a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating their “profound concern” over the cost of tickets.

The fans’ group has shared their dismay at ticket costs and claims the extortionate prices, combined with having to pay for a companion, are placing an ‘unfair tax’ on supporters with disabilities. Frustration at accessibility tickets appearing on FIFA’s official resale platform without a price cap attached, which is usually standard for the category ticket, has also been brought into question by the group.

In the letter, the Disability and Inclusion Fan Network say: “People with disabilities across the world often face additional, unavoidable costs related to disability, including accessible transport, accommodation, equipment, and personal assistance. Extreme ticket prices therefore create a significant barrier to participation in what is meant to be a global celebration of football.

“At your [Infantino’s] press conference in Doha in 2022, you stated: ‘Today I feel disabled.’ This sentiment is evidently not aligned with FIFA’s current World Cup 2026 pricing policy. True inclusion is not symbolic or mere words: it requires action that recognises structural disadvantage and removes barriers rather than reinforcing them.”

Last week, the FSE urged FIFA to halt the sales process, claiming the pricing had been a “monumental betrayal” of loyal supporters. The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) labelled the prices as “scandalous”. In response, FIFA pointed to the fact that there had been five million applications in the first 24 hours after the opening of the random selection draw phase of ticketing.

Sign up to The Scotsman’s daily football newsletter to get unrivalled Scottish football news and analysis - subscribe for free here.