According to L'Equipe, demand for tickets surged after France advanced to the World Cup semi-finals, but FIFA's ticket prices deterred many French fans.
France will face Spain in Dallas at 3:00 AM Beijing time on Wednesday. It's difficult to predict how many fans will be able to attend the match at AT&T Stadium. Since the start of the World Cup, the French Football Federation estimates that approximately 3,000 to 5,000 French fans have purchased tickets through official channels for each game. However, due to FIFA's high ticket prices, the number of French fans has actually been declining as the tournament progresses into the knockout stages. Although many blue or light green jerseys can be seen in the stands at the several American stadiums where France is playing, many of these are actually worn by foreign fans. Ticket prices are four times higher than in 2022.
After advancing to the semi-finals, demand for traveling to support the French team in person has surged again. Gregory Sevo, head of Mycomm, the French Football Federation's travel partner, said: "Since Tuesday, we've received many calls from individuals and several businesses, hundreds of inquiries, but fewer than 100 have actually been converted. There are two limiting factors: price, and also, considering the cost, many people prefer to wait until the final. They are controlling their budgets."
If you want to go to Dallas to watch the France vs. Spain semi-final, Mycomm offers packages starting at around €4,500, including round-trip airfare, accommodation, and match tickets; while a package for Senegal, France's first group stage opponent, is only around €1,900. The real expense isn't just the travel, but the stadium tickets themselves, which are four times more expensive than during the Qatar World Cup. If France reaches the final, the price will continue to rise, exceeding €5,000.
Thomas Letre, Business Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at On Location, also felt the semi-finals were more attractive. “Demand from corporate clients and wealthy VIPs has increased significantly, mainly to follow England, France and Spain,” he said. He noted that tickets with service packages sold very well, especially in the US market, even at exorbitant prices.
However, such high prices are clearly disadvantageous to ordinary fans. Tickets for the France vs. Spain match are priced at €800 across all three categories. Grigory Opret, a spokesperson for France's largest fan organization, "Unstoppable France," said this limits the number of members who can attend. "We'll have about 330 people on Tuesday, and over 650 for the Senegal and Norway matches." If France reaches the final, the number will be even smaller. Adding to the problem, unlike the European Championship, they don't receive additional tickets before each new match, making it impossible to meet new demand. "We've received several requests, but we only have tickets from fans who canceled their tickets at the last minute, which we then resell to those on the waiting list. Our tickets were all bought at the beginning of the year," Opret said.
