FormerManchester Unitedcaptain Roy Keane was notoriously fearless and intimidating. During his 12 years at Old Trafford, the Irish midfielder got his hands on 17 trophies and left his mark on many an opposing player.
But one of his most enduring contributions to the game was a comment made after a UEFAChampions Leaguematch in 2000, when he invoked a prawn sandwich to deride soccer's gentrification.
"Some people come toOld Trafford, and I don't think they could spell football, never mind understand it," Keanecomplained. "They've had a few drinks and probably a few prawn sandwiches and they don't realize what's going on out on the pitch."
It was a cutting remark that captured the media's imagination, spawning the derogatory term "prawn sandwich brigade" for privileged fans who were out of touch with soccer's working-class roots, perhaps more interested in the social scene than cheering for the team. Historically, prawns were a luxury commodity and a subtle display of status and wealth when served at high tea. Rising ticket prices in the Premier League era had been squeezing out traditional fans and their seats had been taken by an upper-crust, fair-weather fanbase.
A quarter of a century after Keane scornfully accused those supporters of hushing the atmosphere inside soccer stadiums, fans and broadcasters still reference anyone partial to a prawn sandwich with a sneer.
They might not use the phrase over in the United States, but many can relate to the sentiment around major sports events like theSuper Bowl, where the price of admission has become prohibitive to many.
Two weeks before this year's showpiece game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans, CNN reported thatSuper Bowl LIXwas set to be the most expensive ever, with the average price hovering around $9,800. Factor in the travel, accommodation, food and merchandise, and this is an experience that few outside the top 1% could even conceive of; it's for corporate fans who are just as interested in networking, celebrity-spotting and attending exclusive parties as the action on the field.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump have gleefully described the 2026 World Cup as an event of 104 Super Bowls, and it seems as though the matches are priced accordingly. To watch any of the three host nations play their opening game next summer will cost an average of $1,825, triple the price of Qatar's opening game in 2022 and almost three-and-a-half times the price of Russia's first match in 2018.
Globally, soccer fans are furious.Writing on X,the England fan Nigel Seeley, described the prices as "insane." A dedicated supporter for 30 years, Seeley posted a list of the prices being quoted to the England Supporters Travel Club for each of the eight games they might play, including a price of between $4,185 and $8,860 for the final.
He said, "I think I will be watching the final at home if England reach it. Headed for the groups, hopefully do the quarterfinal and home. I just can't justify paying that money, it's a joke."
Perhaps in response to some of the criticism, FIFA announced on Tuesday anew tier of pricingfor some dedicated supporters of each qualified team, allowing certain fans to attend matches for just $60. But, in a confusingly worded statement, it wasn't clear how many tickets would actually be sold at the reduced price, only that each participating member association would be responsible for allocation.
Soccer is still a developing sport in the US, but despite FIFA's stated commitment to grow it globally, the Beautiful Game's world governing body does not seem too concerned about the generally inflated prices. They have reported that 2 million tickets have already been sold and claim "extraordinary global demand" for 20 million more.
At the tournament draw in Washington, DC, Trump praised Infantino, saying, "You've set new records on ticket sales, that is an amazing thing. The numbers are beyond any numbers."
But when the tournament kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, who will be in attendance? And will the 16 stadiums across Mexico, Canada and the US all be sold out?
If FIFA's ambitiousClub World Cuptournament earlier this summer is any indication, there might be some cause for concern. The games were overpriced and some were played in half-empty stadiums, with large swathes of open seating obvious to the broadcast cameras.
A World Cup is a soccer tournament for the globe, but the United States and its 11 host cities look anything but welcoming now. Iran and Haiti are on the government's banned list and fans from those countries will be denied entry. Following a fatal ambush of two National Guard soldiers in the capital, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that more countries would be added to the list – and the administration was true to its word,announcing Tuesdaythat it was adding full and partial restrictions and entry limitations to many other countries, including World Cup participants Ivory Coast and Senegal.
The message from many administration officials around the tournament has encouraged supporters to come to the US for the games and then leave quickly.
"We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home," Vice President JD Vancesaid at the White House earlier this year.
Meanwhile, White House rhetoric suggests that it will become increasingly difficult for anyone to secure travel visas to the US; potentially years of social media activity will have to be disclosed and DNA samples provided, so it may be that the bulk of the tickets will have to be purchased by American-based fans in the midst of a well-documented affordability crisis.
When push comes to shove, how many will be forced to concede that spending thousands of dollars on just 90 minutes of soccer pales in comparison to the responsibility of providing health care for the family or putting meals on the table?
Ahead of its biggest ever World Cup tournament, FIFA has been accused of greed on an industrial scale, gouging the pockets of supporters who are the lifeblood of the game. Unless they make further concessions on pricing, they may find that they've bitten off more than they can chew.
Real fans bring energy and noise; they will provide the soundtrack of the tournament. They may also drown out the sounds of clinking champagne glasses and all the prawn sandwiches being devoured in the hospitality seats.
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