Concerns Raised Over Ticket Access for Disabled Fans at 2026 World Cup
A charity has deemed FIFA's failure to address concerns regarding ticket access for disabled supporters at the 2026 World Cup as "unacceptable."
Disabled fans are facing higher costs to attend games, as tickets in the lowest-priced tier of the general allocation are unavailable to them.
Personal assistants are required to pay the full ticket price, without the option for free or discounted rates. Additionally, FIFA has stated that it cannot guarantee that personal assistants will be seated next to the disabled fans they accompany.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the number of tickets available for wheelchair users and the quantity of accessible seating.
Level Playing Field, a charity advocating for disabled fans, has expressed that it raised significant concerns with FIFA over three weeks ago but has yet to receive a response.
The organization has since reached out to national governing bodies and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport.
Tony Taylor, chair of Level Playing Field, stated, "This ongoing uncertainty over accessible ticketing is unacceptable. The current situation appears to expect disabled fans to gamble on cost and access. Planning, personal assistants, and pricing are vital considerations for disabled fans, as repeatedly shown in Level Playing Field's Annual Fan Survey data."
He continued, "Restricting access to the lowest pricing tiers and charging personal assistants adds unavoidable, additional disability-related costs to attending events. Instead of addressing the issue and effectively communicating with supporters, the current response has only been to delay and ignore."
FIFA has been approached for comment regarding these issues.
The governing body of world football has faced heavy criticism for its high pricing structure at this summer's event in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In response to public pressure, FIFA eventually released a limited number of "more affordable" $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches, but no similar flexibility has been extended to disabled fans.
Furthermore, England supporters have not fully utilized their general ticket allocation for the final and semi-final matches due to the high costs, with around 90% of tickets for the final priced at £3,094.