2018 World Cup ticket prices up more than 16 percent from 2014 edition

Ticket prices for the 2018 World Cup increased by more than 16 percent from the showpiece in Brazil two years ago, but FIFA's secretary general Fatma Samoura said Tuesday that they are in line with market value.

The most affordable tickets for group stage matches will go for $105 - a $15 hike on the cost for similar seats at the 2014 World Cup. The most expensive tickets, under the Category 1 section, are worth $1,100, marking a $110 increase over the previous tournament.

FIFA earmarked specific tickets for Russian residents, whose cheapest tickets will put them back 1,280 rubles - or approximately $20. It is not unusual for locals to receive breaks for World Cup tickets, as FIFA made similar exemptions for the 2014 and 2010 editions.

(Courtesy: FIFA Media)

"We wanted to make sure that we priced tickets fairly to make the events accessible to as many people as possible," Samoura told reporters. "We therefore conducted thorough market research and have priced the tickets accordingly."

Samoura, 54, was elected the first female and non-European secretary general in May. She had no previous experience in sports, but gained an international profile while working for the United Nations.

She added that FIFA is planning to implement "additional" security measures in Russia for the 2018 World Cup. Several officials for world football's governing body attended matches at Euro 2016 to learn from the security setup and offer recommendations.

The Russian government has also upped efforts to ban hooligans from stadiums. President Vladmir Putin signed an amendment that allows Russian police to publish the names of the blacklisted individuals.

Russian fans were involved in fights with English supporters in Marseille earlier in the Euros, with many being deported.

"Security during the World Cup in the Russian Federation is guaranteed by the government," said Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko. "The security will be unobtrusive, but serious."