The dream of a lifetime has turned into a nightmare for hundreds of Scotland’s most loyal supporters. It has emerged that approximately 600 members of the Tartan Army are set to miss out on this summer’s World Cup in North America due to a devastating confusion over “Easy Access” ticketing options.
As reported by the Daily Record, hundreds of Tartan Army fans face missing the tournament after mistakenly selecting a ticket category reserved for disabled supporters, believing it offered priority entry or faster stadium queues.
The “Easy Access” Trap
The error dates back to December during the initial ticket application phase on the FIFA app. Many fans, some of whom haven’t missed a Scotland match in over 20 years, ticked the “Easy Access” box under the impression it was a “priority” feature. Crucially, the app reportedly did not trigger a secondary prompt asking for proof of disability at the time of the click.
The SFA spotted the anomaly in January and sent out a warning email urging fans to re-apply correctly before the deadline. However, hundreds of supporters—many of whom were travelling or simply missed the notification—failed to rectify the mistake in time. Now, with the raffle results released, their applications have been summarily cancelled.
“Sickening” Financial Toll
For fans like Willie Rennie and his wife, Laura, the news is a massive blow both emotionally and financially. Having spent an estimated £30,000 following Scotland over the last two decades, the couple had already committed £5,000 to flights and accommodation for this summer’s showpiece.
“It never came up asking if we have a disability or anything like that,” Willie explained. “We’ve even got our flights and accommodation booked. And now we have no tickets. It’s sickening.”
A “Disgrace” for the Loyal Support
The situation has sparked outrage among fan group leaders. Chris Gibson of the North East Tartan Army labelled the blunder a “disgrace,” noting that many older fans who are less “computer savvy” feel they are being unfairly punished for a genuine interface error.
The SFA has confirmed they attempted to alert fans to the issue prior to the deadline, but for the 600 supporters currently holding non-refundable flights to see Scotland face Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil, those warnings came too late.
Fitba Focus Verdict: While “user error” is the technical cause, the lack of a clear warning on the FIFA app for such a high-stakes purchase is a bitter pill to swallow. For the 600 affected, the “Greatest Show on Earth” may now be viewed from a living room in Scotland instead of the stands in North America.
Co-Founder of Fitba Focus and MMA UK. A lifelong Rangers fan and former player, he combines over a decade of sports media experience with a deep-seated passion for the Scottish game. From the Ibrox stands to the lower-league terraces, Frankie is dedicated to providing honest, fan-led analysis of the full Scottish pyramid.
