A ticket originally bought for £460 is now on sale for £22,800 – and that's before a 15% fee. Welcome to the confusing, frustrating world of World Cup ticket resale, where fans can find themselves priced out of the biggest games and even the kick-off time can change at the last minute. The issue has come into sharp focus ahead of England's last-16 clash against Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, with tickets being resold on Fifa's official portal for up to 57 times their face value, and a secretive plan to move the match to a different time sparking anger among supporters.
At the heart of the matter is the system for allocating and reselling tickets. For England matches, the Football Association (FA) uses the England Supporters' Travel Club (ESTC) ballot to distribute its allocation – in this case 3,000 tickets for the game against Mexico. Fans build up 'caps' by attending matches home and away, and those with the most caps get priority for the best games and cheapest tickets. But once a fan buys a ticket through the ballot, they are allowed to resell it on Fifa's official resale platform. On that platform, the seller sets the price – and can change it up or down – and Fifa takes a 15% fee from both buyer and seller. As of 3 July 2026, 76 tickets were listed in the England supporter sections behind the goal, with the most expensive four listed together at $30,000 (£22,800) each – a face value of $605 (£460) per ticket. With the buyer's 15% fee, that rises to $34,500 (£26,220). Even after paying their own 15% fee, the seller pockets $25,500 (£19,380) per ticket. The cheapest available ticket was listed at $3,448 (£2,620), nearly 12 times its original $295 (£224) face value. Tickets in the cheapest category four ($60/£45) cannot be resold.
“A look at the World Cup ticket resale system and scheduling chaos, using England's 2026 match against Mexico as an example”
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) has called out Fifa's "greed", saying the governing body has "deliberately designed an online exchange which allows tickets to be sold at vastly inflated prices" while taking a cut from both sides. The FA cannot restrict resale of these tickets because Fifa permits it. Adding to the confusion, just days before the match, Fifa seriously discussed changing the kick-off time from its original slot to six hours earlier (midday local time, 7pm UK) due to a threat of electrical thunderstorms in Mexico City. Neither the FA nor the Mexican Football Federation were informed; the FA learned of the potential change from social media. After backlash, Fifa confirmed the game would go ahead as planned. But the episode highlighted the lack of control the FA has over its own fans' experience. England's players are also dealing with altitude – the Azteca is 2,240 metres above sea level – and fans were left worried about missing the match entirely, especially those due to land in Mexico City at 2pm local time on the day of the original kick-off.
For UK readers, these stories matter because they affect the cost and experience of following England. The ticket resale system means loyal fans who build up caps can still be priced out of the biggest games, while others profit. And late changes to kick-off times can disrupt travel plans and even pub opening hours – the UK government had already confirmed pubs could stay open until 5am to air the match. The FSA wants Fifa to allow the FA more control over the official allocation to prevent exploitation. As one of the most anticipated England games in years approaches, the system remains deeply flawed.
Q: How does the World Cup ticket resale system work? Fifa operates an official resale portal where ticket holders can list their tickets at any price. The seller sets the price, and Fifa charges a 15% fee to both buyer and seller. Tickets bought through the official supporters' ballot – like the ESTC for England – can be resold on this platform, except for the cheapest category four tickets.
Q: Why can't the FA stop tickets being resold at inflated prices? Under current rules, Fifa permits resale of tickets in most categories. The FA has no power to restrict resale of its own allocation once tickets are in fans' hands. The FSA has called for Fifa to give associations more control, as they have with category four tickets which cannot be relisted.
Q: What are 'caps' in the England Supporters' Travel Club? ESTC members earn 'caps' by attending England matches home and away. The more caps a fan has, the higher their priority for tickets to the best games and at the cheapest prices. The system is designed to reward loyalty, but it does not prevent those who win tickets from reselling them at huge markups.
What happens next? Fifa has confirmed the England vs Mexico match will stay at its original kick-off time, but the issue of ticket resale remains unresolved. The FSA continues to call for reform, and the FA may push for greater control over its allocation in future tournaments. For now, fans face a stark reality: their loyalty can be exploited by a system that rewards profit over support.