Fans left staggered at eye watering amount it will cost to follow England at the World Cup

The ticket ballot opens at 4pm today

The tournament kicks off next June and will be played across North American nations; Canada, Mexico, and the USA where average sports tickets sell at a much higher rate than most European audiences are used to.

In light of America's different sporting model, fans across Europe have been anticipating that this upcoming tournament could be one of the most expensive ever.

Those fears have been realised, with the full extent of the financial toll that match-going England supporters will have to endure now revealed by The Times.

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The report claims that, should England make it to the World Cup final, the cheapest ticket would cost more than £3,000.

Following the Three Lions all the way from their first group game to the final will cost a total of at least £5,000.

It's important to note that this report refers only to the price of match tickets, and fans will also have to incur the cost of travel, in some cases from one side of the USA to the other, and accommodation.

Further research on hotel prices has been carried out by The Athletic reporter Adam Crafton, who uncovered some staggering results.

As a result of the reporting, there has been a significant uproar from fans and supporters groups in England in response to the inflated prices.

One fan took to X to describe the pricing model as "diabolical," while another suggested that the tickets were a "farce."

The Times' report was published hours before the next phase of ticket sales begins.

Thursday the 11th of December marks the beginning of the Random Selection Draw, which opens at 4pm, and and closes on Tuesday the 13th of January at 4pm.

The ballot can be accessed here.