The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
World Cup ticket prices: England fans have criticised the “astonishing” price of tickets for next summer’s World Cup - which could rise further with demand. Tickets first became accessible on Wednesday to those selected in a draw held last month, with The Athletic reporting that $60 tickets (£44.60) - which Fifa said would be the cheapest on offer - were extremely scarce.
Fifa has not confirmed starting prices for the tickets beyond the cheapest group stage ticket and the most expensive for the final, but the England Fans’ Embassy estimates that a fan attending every England match if they made it to the final - even buying tickets in the cheapest category - would spend at least $3,180 (£2,364). Fifa is operating what it describes as variable pricing for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, meaning prices could rise - or drop - depending on demand.
“These prices are astonishing - $2,000 dollars for the cheapest final ticket is unacceptable,” said Thomas Concannon from the England Fans’ Embassy. “If fans are successful in obtaining a category four ticket from the first game to the last, that could set them back $3,180 dollars at least. That is more than double what Qatar cost.
