My Lords, I would like to take the opportunity of a sporting-related Question to congratulate the Ladies of your Lordships’ House on a very impressive victory in yesterday’s tug-of-war with the other place. I understand that there was another team available, but I am going to move swiftly on.
The Government fully understand fans’ frustrations regarding the cost of tickets for the 2026 World Cup, particularly given current cost of living pressures. However, FIFA and the tournament organisers alone determine ticket pricing and allocation, as these are strictly commercial decisions. While Ministers regularly engage with the domestic football associations on a number of issues, including fan welfare, we expect these national bodies to formally represent the ticketing concerns of British supporters directly to FIFA. We are not party to these discussions, but we were pleased to see a number of lower-price tickets available through national federation fan groups.
My Lords, some tickets for this year’s World Cup will cost as much as $6,500, and I am told $10,000 for the final, pricing football fans out of watching games. I remind the House that, in 1966, watching the final cost you just 10 bob. This is an absolute outrage. Given that we have the Sporting Events Bill before us today, will the Government consider taking extra powers, alongside those protecting fans from touts, to ensure that events like the GB-wide Euro 2028 do not become another opportunity for football’s governing bodies to indulge in rampant profiteering at fans’ expense?
The Government do and will always work with event owners to ensure that the UK is an excellent host and partner, and that we can meet our commitments at the same time as protecting the interests of fans. We have worked closely with UEFA on its approach to Euro 2028, which seeks to put fans first with transparent ticketing prices. There will not be dynamic pricing for the Euro 2028 games. These principles followed a meeting between the Prime Minister, the DCMS Secretary of State and the UEFA president last November, which discussed the vital importance of ensuring that tickets for the tournament are accessible and affordable.
My Lords, the current situation in the United States is that individual states are trying to have legal redress on this. The Government are saying that they are quite friendly, but will they make sure that everybody involved in politics is singing from the same hymn sheet? If we bid for something in the future, who knows who will be in power then.
I would like to think that, in this country, whichever Government are in power—obviously, I would hope that they were this Government—would put the fans at the heart of everything they do in relation to sport. Looking at the Benches opposite, I remind your Lordships’ House that not all sides of your Lordships’ House supported the Independent Football Regulator Bill, and I am grateful to all noble Lords, including the noble Lord, Lord Addington, for their support in making sure that fans are at the heart of everything relating to football.
My Lords, I was heartened to hear the Minister at least partially endorse the fact that the price mechanism is a far better way of valuing goods than government diktat. However, does she also agree that the politics of envy, while it may on occasion attract some votes, rarely has good outcomes? Does she also accept that, despite the blandishments of the noble Lord, not everybody can always go to everything? In the words of the immortal Sir Michael Jagger:
I am slightly incredulous. We have a situation where resale tickets are being priced at $2 million. I am not convinced that anybody would buy them at that price, but these are outrageous prices. It goes beyond envy when even the President of the United States is calling the tickets out as overly priced for a major sporting event.
My Lords, people who are actually fans are going to America for the World Cup and are being ripped off with their flights, ripped off—and sometimes gazumped—with their hotels, and ripped off with their tickets. Can we do all we can, both internally and internationally, to stop these practices and give the football fans a decent deal?
As I mentioned in response to my noble friend’s questions, representations regarding the interests of fans fall to the respective football associations. My understanding is that the home nations’ football associations are raising matters. We are keen to make sure that all our fans travelling to the World Cup, which noble Lords will be aware goes across three host countries, have a good experience. But, above all, we hope that our home teams do well, and our wish is that they compete against each other in the final.
My Lords, the World Cup brings together communities and breaks down barriers, but the reality is that not all UK football fans have reliable broadband or smart TVs for streaming. So will the Government act to fund libraries, community centres and jobcentres, which could be free streaming hubs, particularly in deprived areas of the country, and may encourage other beneficial engagement?
My noble friend Lady Hayman suggested that I get up and just repeat her response to the noble Earl, which was “Yes”, but I will not do that. As well as the World Cup being free to air on terrestrial channels—the BBC and ITV have agreed which matches will be screened and those are free to air, so not reliant on good broadband—there will be a number of fan zones up and down the country if people want that more communal approach. I suggest that it might be a distraction for an organisation such as a jobcentre, even if we want people to get through the door, to screen programmes when their staff are trying to work hard to get people back into work.
My Lords, the magnificent parade through Highbury and Holloway on Sunday proved that football can and should be a sport for everyone from every background. But, as we have heard, not just ticket prices but accommodation and travel are pricing out ordinary fans. Will my noble friend the Minister consider encouraging employers to ensure that there is flexibility at work so that, when World Cup matches are held during work time, people have the chance to watch them?
I agree with my noble friend about the parades and, across your Lordships’ House, we all want to congratulate Arsenal on winning the Premier League and offer commiserations on its loss in the Champions League final. Although it is possible for some employers to exercise discretion, it would be a tall order for the Government to say to everyone, including your Lordships’ House, that we should down tools and watch every single match instead of working. But I know that, across the country and across both home countries involved, people are hugely looking forward to the World Cup.
My Lords, not only is there the expense of buying the tickets and paying the fares, but there is also the issue of getting visas. Can the Minister see whether we can sort out the visas to America in particular, because it takes time to get those?
I am not aware of any particular issues with visas. That falls firmly within the FCDO’s parameters, and it does most of the liaison with overseas countries on major sporting events. I presume that most people had to buy their flights some time ago, so I assume that most of them would already have gone through that process.
My Lords, while wishing the very best success to all the teams from the UK competing in the World Cup, will my noble friend accept that other forms of entertainment are available over the summer?