Guardiola questions World Cup prices: ‘Fans are the key for this business to go on’

Pep Guardiola has rued the cost for fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup and praised Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano for freezing ticket prices at their Etihad Stadium home for a third straight year.

FIFA have been widely criticised over ticket and travel prices at the finals, including a much-publicised fee of £111 for supporters taking a 30-minute train journey from New York to New Jersey at a tournament many supporters regard as unaffordable.

“Modern times, right?” reflected Guardiola, speaking on the day City made their pricing announcement. “It’s so expensive. I’m not [the organisers], so I don’t know the reason why.

“Hopefully, they can think about it… football is for the fans. Fans are the key for this business to go on.

“I remember the World Cup – years, years, years ago – was a celebration of the joy of football.

“Everybody travelled from all around the globe, from other continents, to see your country and play there. It was affordable.”

Football ticket pricing: Why Guardiola calls City ‘special’

While some of their Premier League rivals have increased prices, City – who are the sixth-highest revenue-generating club in the world, according to financial experts Deloitte – have not followed suit for general admission season tickets and Premier League match-by-match tickets

City said they had acted “in recognition of the extraordinary accumulated impact of the current cost of living pressures on fans and their families”.

“Hats off to my chairman and CEO,” responded Guardiola. “This business doesn’t work without the fans. Imagine how it was playing in COVID times, when we didn’t have people in our stadium.

“I’m pretty sure the club needs, financially, to have enough resources to buy the best players and continue to pay the players.

“I’m sure it’s necessary but.. in this situation, the world is difficult. Not increasing season ticket [prices] means a lot.

“How special is this club? How good it is. I can’t judge other clubs. They can do whatever they want.”

When he discussed the World Cup, which takes place in the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July, Guardiola added: “You have to think about sponsors and all this sort of stuff, because otherwise it would not be sustainable. Everybody knows [that].”

Here are City’s season ticket price ranges for non-premium seats, according to the club’s 2025/26 pricing map.

Man City vs Southampton: Rodri to miss out again

City are considerable favourites to beat Championship club Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday (17:15 BST), although influential midfielder Rodri will miss a second successive match with a groin injury.

“We don’t want to take risks because… he is so important,” said Guardiola, whose side won 1-0 at Burnley on Tuesday to move above Arsenal at the top of the Premier League in Rodri’s absence.

Southampton are on a 20-match unbeaten run in all competitions and fourth in the second tier after drawing 2-2 at home to midtable Bristol City on Tuesday.

Saints shocked the Gunners 2-1 at home in the quarter-finals, having won at Premier League club Fulham in the previous round.

Here’s who City have faced in the semi-finals in each of the seven seasons in which they have won the FA Cup

What’s next? Manchester City fixtures, schedule

City have five Premier League matches remaining in 2025/26.

Arsenal play the first of their final five games at home to 14th-placed Newcastle on Saturday (17:30 BST), starting below City on goal difference.

Here’s how City’s fixtures look. A potential FA Cup final against Chelsea or Leeds United, who meet in the semi-finals on Sunday (15:00 BST), would be on Saturday, May 16 (15:00).