FIFA’s discriminatory ticketing
Above: The practical solution to inclusive seating inside stadia in Australia - spare seats for family and friends.
Below are my latest letters to FIFA, their replies, my response. The first letter below was sent on July 11, 2023 :
To Whom It May Concern at FIFA,
On behalf of all football-loving families who have a disabled person in their family, I must once again express my disappointment at FIFA's discriminatory ticketing policies. I realise FIFA Ticketing in Australia has no power to make the necessary changes: the blame lies with whoever it is at FIFA that negotiates the contract with the ticketing agency FIFA use in Switzerland. I have campaigned as a disabled rights activist for over a decade, and it’s painfully clear to me that FIFA and their ticketing subcontractors have learned nothing from the 2018 and 2022 men's World Cups.
I first experienced FIFA’s discriminatory ticketing in 2018. An able-bodied family could apply for up to four seats together. For 2022, after criticisms that some families were bigger than four, an able-bodied family (or group of friends) could apply for up to six seats together. For both of those tournaments, as with the 2023 WWC, a disabled person can only have one family member sitting near to them: two seats together. That is discriminatory.
It's also impractical: for 2018, when FIFA issued us with three tickets, my wife and I were to be seated on one side of the stadium and our son on the other side of the stadium - this was in Russia, and our son was nine years old. That was for "easy access" seating, so the wheelchair seating arrangement could not be used as an excuse (and flexible seating - widely available in non-FIFA sporting events - negates any such excuses regarding wheelchairs).
Ahead of Qatar 2022, I put these points forward in Fan Leader meetings with the Supreme Committee (who were keen to point out they are not responsible for ticketing - FIFA is) and in a one-on-one online meeting with FIFA’s Diversity and Accessibility Manager (cced). Nothing changed for 2022 - we were still seated a long way apart, sometimes within sight of each other, sometimes not. The only reason we were not seated together was because one member of the family has a disability. I have written newspaper op-eds where I showcase positive experiences, where 'easy access' and competent flexible seating strategies have been in place. Where authorities have bothered to make the effort, we have enjoyed being seated together at World Athletics Championships, Premier League football grounds, Test Cricket (Ashes), World Cup track cycling etc.
Our seats for the 2023 World Cup are almost comically far apart. For our Brisbane games, two of us are at one end of the stadium (Gate C, usually) and one is at the opposite end (Gate A) - and anywhere between 15 and 300+ aisles apart! For the final, we have two seats at Gate M, Level 1, Aisle 133 and one seat at Gate A, Level 6, Aisle 604 - 5 levels apart! That's further apart than anything we experienced in the men's World Cup in Qatar.
What about a family with one parent and two young kids, where one family member is disabled? They would attempt to navigate the FIFA ticketing website, and at some point eventually realise that FIFA don't allow families such as theirs (or mine) to sit together: they would, in all likelihood, give up.
So, FIFA have had plenty of warnings and no change. I realise that FIFA Ticketing and the FIFA Disabilities Office don't have the power to change things; what I don't understand is why there appears to be no visible communication route for either myself or either of those bodies to communicate the problem to whoever it is at FIFA who actually has the power to make a change.
I'm hoping we can find a way forward, not just for my family and not just for this tournament, but for everyone, for all future tournaments. I'll try to help advocate for change by highlighting the issue in both social and traditional media, although I'll wait a few days for a reply from whomever could, potentially, eliminate FIFA's discriminatory ticketing policies. So, I would be most grateful if the receivers of this email would endeavour to open up such a channel of communication.
Best wishes,
Paul Letters, Gold Coast, Australia
UPDATE: About one working hour after I sent this email, the tickets in my FIFA App magically updated – they had moved our seats closer together (but not next to each other). But the wider point – of discriminatory ticketing policies at point of sale – still stands. As of August 6, 2023, FIFA have still not responded to my above email of July 11, 2023.
PS I do feel highly blessed to get to see World Cups (but that’s not the point).
The red arrow above shows where FIFA placed my wife at a match in Qatar. We were allocated seats in Russia 2018 and Au/NZ 2023 which were far further apart - until we kicked up a fuss and began to get some media attention. But all families - not just able-bodied families - should be able to apply for seats together, without struggle. A disabled person’s life already contains enough struggle.
Dear Paul,
Many thanks for contacting us...
After having analyzed your case, we have proceeded to re-seat your tickets from File Number 3101705 as closest as possible, being all of them now seated in the same section.
You can see in your FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ ticketing account the location of your seats; the change will be reflected as well automatically in your Ticketing APP. We expect that with this change, the situation that you have raised in your email will be resolved and you can enjoy the tournament together with your family.
Regarding your opinion about our policies, we want to highlight that FIFA is committed to delivering a safe, inclusive, and barrier-free tournament for all, including disabled people and people with limited mobility. As part of these efforts, we have developed a strategy including accessibility considerations for disabled people and people with limited mobility to enhance their matchday experience and strive to make it as accessible as possible. In some cases, we are limited by stadium configurations and regulations, however, strive to implement reasonable adjustments where necessary.
We invite you to follow all the updates in our dedicated section in our Fan Guide, on this link and other relevant pages here.
Your sincerely,
FIFA AUS/NZL
—-
Dear FIFA,
There are a number of inaccuracies and misconceptions in your reply. Your staff on the ground are aware that the ticketing system doesn't work for disabled families - in training up the volunteers 'game makers' FIFA ticketing staff have warned them of some of the problems that I've been warning FIFA about since 2018. Your inaccuracies/misconceptions (and unless you're in a disabled family and have been to several world cups, then you're not really in a position to tell me how this works on the ground - I experience it):
1. After FIFA changed our tickets (and this only happened in response to my email that promised media attention) we are still not placed together as a family (whereas able-bodied familes are). For example, as I have recorded on video, we were two rows apart, also with a drop down some steps (which creates greater distance, as well as an obvious obstacle for me; there was plenty of space in the wheelchair area for more seats) - there was no way we could talk to each other, especially once the stadium became full. For a starker example from the recent men's world cup - proving nothing has improved since Russia 2018 - see attached.
2. The line about "stadium configurations and regulations" is false - we have been to see the Matildas at the same stadium (Brisbane) last year and Ticketek allowed us to buy 3 seats together - it's only FIFA's ticketing that does not allow it for their games; we all know this is a fact, so I think it would be less embarrassing for FIFA if you stop denying it.
3. Disabled families should not have to put in a complaint (after the seating numbers have been issued to us a couple of weeks before the tournament); able-bodied families don't have to lodge a complaint - they are simply allocated seats together from the outset. Again, see attached photo for one example of how FIFA's promise to sit disabled families together actually works in reality (the red arrow points to my wife).
4. Improving our seating proximity, as FIFA did swiftly in response to my promise of media attention, in no way solves the long-term, on-going problem that means in future World Cups a disabled family will not be able apply for more than two tickets together. From our lived experience at three world cups, the system that FIFA believes works does not - we are not given seats together (even though sufficient seats exist inside the stadium and so often but not always we can reshuffle once inside).
Imagine the future, say the 2066 men's World Cup - do you really think FIFA will be selling up to 6 able-bodied seats together but only up to 2 together for disabled people? No, neither do I; it's clear the system needs to change, it's simply a question of when. You just need to set up a review, that's all.
As you fail to acknowledge that changes are needed, I will go ahead and communicate to the outside world FIFA's unwillingness to correct its discriminatory policies.
Best wishes,
Paul
FIFA’s most recent reply (August 13, 2023):
Dear Paulletters
Many thanks for your message, and for taking the time in sharing your experience and feedback. This is very much appreciated.
As you are aware, the ticketing team have analysed and resolved the location of your seats. This matter has been deemed resolved as the seating locations were adjusted to be as close as possible to each other. Your tickets for matches 59 and 64 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM are located in two adjacent rows, with the Accessibility Companion seated right next to the Accessibility seat, and the Category 1 seat located in the row immediately in front of them. Please also note that, due to certain locations and stadium configurations, having more than 1 ticket allocated as companion of the Accessibility Ticket Holder would impact the availability and experience of adjacent wheelchair user places, and opportunity for other people with disabilities to attend the matches.
Please note that, according to section 12.5 of the Ticket Terms of Sale for General Public, which all customers acknowledge to have read and agreed to before concluding the ticket purchase:
“FIFA AUS/NZL will endeavour but cannot guarantee that all seats/standing areas assigned to Tickets for a Match which are issued within a successful Ticket Application will be located adjacent to one another. Seats/standing areas assigned within the same Ticket Category may be located in different rows, sections or locations in the Stadium.”
Notwithstanding the above, the Ticketing Customer Care Team provides the due support to all customers requiring assistance with their seat locations. We are pleased to confirm that, with more than 1.7 million tickets sold, including a significant number of Accessibility Tickets, the number of customers needing assistance with seat locations has been minimal.
In addition to the remote support provided by the Ticketing Customer Care Team, each Stadium of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM has a customer service team and/or a security team dedicated to assist customers onsite, on match day. If you require any further assistance at the stadium, please do not hesitate to reach out to this team, who will be happy to support you to the maximum extent possible.
In relation to your wider general point of inclusive seating, please be assured that your feedback is important and valued. Following our previous discussion, your feedback has been considered internally in relation to the recent scheduled review of the FIFA accessibility guidelines. These internal guidelines have been developed in consultation with disability organisations, accessibility consultants and people with disabilities themselves and are being used for discussions about upcoming events.
Please do not hesitate to be in touch should you require further information, and we would be glad to assist and support where able to, and welcome constructive feedback.
Your sincerely,
FIFA AUS/NZL
FIFA AUS/NZL (officially registered as FWWC2023 Pty Ltd) is the entity established by FIFA in Australia and New Zealand for the operational delivery of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.