A supporter worked out what it would cost his family-of-five to follow the Three Lions at next summer’s FIFA World Cup – and the total left him completely gobsmacked
Alan Johnson Social News Reporter
14:25, 13 Dec 2025
An England football fan has calculated how much it would cost to watch the Three Lions go the distance at the World Cup (Image: Scott Taetsch – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The anticipation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup escalated last week following the tournament draw and subsequent confirmation of match locations across the US, Canada and Mexico. However, one England supporter’s excitement swiftly turned to dismay as he calculated the total cost of watching the Three Lions potentially reach the final on July 19.
England are set to face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Texas, Massachusetts and New Jersey respectively during the group stage. Pundits have predicted that “the most likely route to the final”, should Thomas Tuchel’s squad succeed, would involve additional matches in Georgia, Mexico City, Florida and California.
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Given the extensive travel required, England fan Charlie Bell started calculating the potential cost for his family to support the team throughout the tournament.
“So for my family-of-five we wanted to be based in Orlando and travel to and from each game,” he detailed in a post on X.
Alongside a snapshot of his calculations, Charlie added: “This is based on the cheapest category, cheap travel and cheap spending money. This is an estimate of costing for the tournament. FIFA you absolute disgrace!”
Considering the tournament spans approximately five weeks next summer, the supporter estimated that return flights for his family would amount to £2,500, with an additional £5,000 needed solely for accommodation in the Sunshine State.
Charlie then calculated category 3 tickets for his family, totalling $1,325 (£993), $1,110 (£832) and another $1,110 for the three group stage matches alone.
Should England progress all the way, they would compete in five additional matches, which Charlie found would see expenses escalate with each successive round. Starting with the round of 32, he discovered that five category three tickets would cost the family $1,175 (£881).
From that point onwards, however, prices climb dramatically. His calculations continued: round of 16 at $1,475 (£1,105); quarter-final at $3,400 (£2,548); semi-final at $4,600 (£3,447); and the final a whopping $20,925 (£15,680).
Charlie included additional costs in his spreadsheet: “Spending money £200 a day – £5,600 for four weeks. Travel to games £75 per person a game £3,000.”
This produced a grand total estimated expense for his family of £42,275. Charlie also highlighted: “I done the whole tournament [Euro 2024] in Germany travelling back home after each game and it cost a fraction compared to this! In Germany the trams were also free of charge to use in the cities in which the games were played.”
There, category 3 prices ranged from just €60 (£52.69) for group stage matches to €300 (£263) to watch the final.
Responding to Charlie, one X user observed: “Sorry but it would probably cost quite a bit more than that. Accommodations and travel probably much higher because you need to be careful where you stay too.”
A second individual criticised: “The only way FIFA scum will learn is if fans don’t go to the stadiums and pay the tickets. If you pay, you don’t help. FIFA will rub there hands together if people pay. Watch it with fans at the fans zones instead.”
Meanwhile, a third remarked: “It’s actually even worse than this. $200 a day spending money for five people? In America? That’s one meal each. $5,000 for a month’s accommodation, for five? Seems very low and doesn’t include any overnight stays away on the night of the matches.”
However, others suggested that Charlie’s calculations actually represented good value for money. “Going by this chart, those ticket prices for category 3 are really reasonable by American standards,” one X user said. “Especially for such a huge sporting event. The only major event that would have cheaper tickets is The Masters.”
Another queried: “5 people for 5 weeks, in the USA, going to all the games, including the World Cup final (half your entire cost BTW) and you’re complaining about £8,500 a head? What world are you living in?”
While a third person advised: “To be fair £40,000 to go overseas for four weeks and watch every single World Cup game for five people isn’t bad. I go to Europe for a week and drop £10,000 without going to any World Cup games.”