Football Australia has launched a new paid membership tier giving Socceroos fans priority access to tickets for next year’s World Cup.
But if there are more paid members than Australia’s ticket allocation for the tournament in North America, there is no guarantee that stumping up the $99 annual fee will secure a seat.
The new offering FA+, which is being marketed primarily as the “gateway to the 2026 World Cup”, has drawn a mixed response from Socceroos fans, with some reluctant to pay a premium without the promise of a certain ticket.
The deal also includes discounted tickets to Socceroos and Matildas home matches and Australia Cup and Australian Championship games, “special access” at open training sessions, a $20 merchandise voucher, invitations to events, partner discounts and insider content.
After the World Cup draw on 6 December when the Socceroos will learn against who and where they will play their group stage games, members of the new scheme will be able to enter a ballot in a bid to secure tickets.
“Access will be based on supply and demand, and all eligible FA+ members will have an equal opportunity to participate,” according to FA.
The new tier has received a mixed response from fans. The most popular comment on the Socceroos’ Instagram post announcing the scheme was: “Nobody wants this lol.”
Others questioned the attractiveness of discounted national teams tickets if there were few home matches in the coming year, or they weren’t held in certain cities. Some were even more negative, describing the move on social media as a “cash grab”.
One stated: “Nope. Not paying a premium just for early bird access.”
To pre-empt possible disappointment, FA is promoting the membership’s other features. “Even if you miss out on tickets, your FA+ membership still delivers value through to 31 October 2026,” it states, listing benefits such as discounted tickets, access to exclusive events, merchandise savings and “priority opportunities for future marquee matches”.
Although the approach has drawn criticism from fans, some were always going to be left disappointed by the World Cup ticket allocation process. Fifa has allocated FA 8% of sellable stadium capacity per match to sell to national team supporters, and there are more than 400,000 members on FA’s free membership tier.
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FA has also flagged more membership tiers are coming. “Football Australia is continuously reviewing feedback and demand, and additional membership tiers are being planned for future phases,” a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document provided by FA states. “These may include enhanced benefits or tailored packages to suit several types of fans.”
The FAQ also states FA is “currently working on official travel packages” which “will be shared with FA+ members once confirmed”, though it notes “packages are not guaranteed and are subject to availability and third-party terms”.
The governing body recorded an $8.5m loss last financial year.
