SOCCER: Clarke warns Scotland fans to be cautious over World Cup travel costs

Scotland manager Steve Clarke has urged supporters to carefully consider their financial commitments when planning to attend next year’s FIFA World Cup in North America. He expressed concern over the steep travel and ticket costs, urging fans not to fall into debt in pursuit of the experience.

Clarke’s remarks come in the wake of criticism from Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which last week called on FIFA to halt the sale of national team ticket allocations. The FSE accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" prices that could prevent ordinary fans from attending the tournament.

According to the FSE, ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup have surged by as much as five times compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, creating significant financial barriers for many supporters.

Scotland’s World Cup campaign in 2026 will see them face off against five-time champions Brazil, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, and Haiti in Group C. As Scotland returns to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, thousands of fans are expected to make the journey to North America to cheer on their team.

“Listen, it’s expensive to go to America anyway. Even if you're going on holiday, you need to save up to get across the Atlantic and have your holiday there,” Clarke told Sky Sports. “So it was always going to be an expensive World Cup. The ticket prices are set by FIFA.”

Clarke’s main message was one of caution: “My biggest wish is that people don’t put themselves into too much debt trying to get there. If you can afford to go, then great. But if you can’t afford to go, then understand it. Don’t put yourself and your family into debt.”

While the team has a smaller ticket allocation for the World Cup, Clarke believes that many fans will still make the trip to support the team. However, with matches being spread across vast distances in North America, only a select number of fans will be able to attend every game.

“I'd like to think that with the smaller allocation that we’ve got, a lot of fans will travel everywhere. I’m talking about going to the far-flung places, but maybe only 1,200 people will turn up,” Clarke added.

FIFA has yet to directly respond to the criticisms regarding the ticket pricing. However, the organization did report last week that it received five million requests for tickets within the first 24 hours of the latest sales phase for the 2026 World Cup.

As fans weigh the financial implications of attending, Clarke's call for financial prudence resonates with many, reminding supporters that while the World Cup is an unforgettable experience, it should not come at the cost of personal financial stability. -Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Jacqueline Wong/Reuters