Posted on 20th January 2022
The 2022 World Cup kicks off in two weeks time and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has published advice for England and Wales fans making the trip to Qatar.
Qatar 2022: Ticket prices reveal most expensive World Cup yet
The cost of attending the World Cup final has gone up again – with FIFA revealing ticket prices 46% higher than its previous tournament making it the most expensive World Cup to date.
Tickets for Qatar 2022 went on sale this week and the tournament has some truly eye-watering prices for an event – beset by worrying human and labour rights abuses – struggling to win over a sceptical public.
The final of the tournament is due to take place at the Lusail Stadium on 18th December and the most expensive ticket for that game is 5,850 Qatari riyals ($1,607), a 46% increase from the $1,100 for the 2018 final in Russia.
The cheapest seats on general sale internationally to watch the opening game of the tournament are up 37% to $302 (1,100 Qatari riyals) from $220 seen in Russia. Similarly, there’s a rise of 13% for category-two tickets to $440 (1,600 Qatari riyals) from $390.
This means following England or Wales through the tournament will prove prohibitively expensive for many ordinary match going fans, especially when coupled with travel and high day-to-day living costs in Qatar.
Ashley Brown from the FSA’s Fans’ Embassy team said: “This is another World Cup supposedly for the fans where the cost of seeing your team all the way to the final is at least £1,200.
“On top of the costs of flights, human rights concerns and expensive accommodation – this is a huge barrier for most ordinary fans.
“It will likely put off thousands from going to a tournament that will prove difficult to get to at a time of year when money is tight.”
Qatar 2022 will also see a drastic reduction in the percentage of the cheapest category tickets available at each venue – further hitting the tournament’s affordability.
💰 As FIFA announces the most expensive World Cup ever, it also appears that it has drastically reduced the number of affordable tickets.
⬇️ E.g. There are 60% less Category 3 & 4 tickets available at the 974 Stadium in Qatar (right) than there were in Kazan in 2018 (left). https://t.co/0GAJ8WLTCn pic.twitter.com/z3aYoPbUKA
— FSE – Football Supporters Europe (@FansEurope) January 19, 2022
For example, there are 60% fewer category 3 and 4 tickets available at the 40,000-seater 974 Stadium in Qatar compared with the similarly sized Kazan Arena at the World Cup in Russia.
Head of Football Supporters Europe Ronan Evain said: “Category 3 and 4 are so small that they might as well not exist. This is absolutely unprecedented.”
