Fifa has revealed the ticket prices for the 2018 World Cup, with the cost of the cheapest tickets available for foreign fans increasing more than 16% since 2014.
The most affordable tickets for group stage games will sell for $105 (£80), a $15 (£11) increase on the equivalent tickets in Brazil two years ago. The most expensive “category one” tickets for the final retail at $1,100 (£841), up from $990 (£650) for the Rio de Janeiro showpiece two years ago – a rise of £191, or just over 11%.
Russian residents are being offered sharply discounted rates, with their cheapest tickets on offer at 1,280 rubles (approx £15) for group matches, an increase on the equivalent prices for the 2014 tournament but roughly in line with prices South African fans paid in 2010.
The Fifa secretary general, Fatma Samoura, said: “We wanted to make sure that we priced tickets fairly to make the events accessible to as many people as possible. We therefore conducted thorough market research and have priced the tickets accordingly.”
Ticket sale information will be released following next year’s Confederations Cup, which also takes place in Russia between 17 June and 2 July 2017.