Scotland manager Steve Clarke has encouraged the fans to be responsible in planning their trips to the 2026 FIFA world cup in North America and he told fans not to end up in a situation where they are financially strained to support the national team.
Scotland has been drawn into Group C with five time World Cup champions Brazil, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco and Haiti, and the Scottish nation will be taking part in the event first since 1998. The draw has caused huge enthusiasm among fans with thousands set to think about crossing the Atlantic.
Nevertheless, Clarke emphasized that the price of the ticket to attend the tournament will be high. During the speech in the Monday, the manager pointed out that even in normal situations, traveling to either the United States, Canada, or Mexico is very costly.
Anyway, it is costly to go to America, Clarke said. Even in case of a simple holiday, individuals have to save hardship just to reach the place. This World Cup was bound to be an expensive one.
Clarke made it clear that FIFA is the one controlling prices of the tickets and not the national associations, and that the main focus he has is the financial well being of the fans and their families.
It is my hope that people do not get themselves too deep in debt in an attempt to get there, he added. That is all well, as long as you can afford it. However, in case you cannot, people have to know that as well.
The distribution of the tickets in Scotland will be small, and Clarke predicts that approximately 1,200 spectators would visit the matches in the host cities that are more distant.
The remarks of the manager are against the backdrop of increased criticism of the pricing system of FIFA. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has also alleged the governing body has set prices on tickets which are extreme and warned that common supporters will be pushed out of the tournament.
With the world eagerly awaiting a long overdue World Cup comeback by Scotland, the message of Clarke reminds people that passion towards football should not be preceded by money.
