More than 4.5 Million Requests for 2026 World Cup Tickets
The demand to secure a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has exceeded all expectations, with more than 4.5 million applications received during the first pre-sale phase. Most of these applications come from the United States, according to an official FIFA statement. Mexico and Canada, the other two host countries of the tournament, also registered a high number of applicants. FIFA did not provide specific details on the number of applications per country.
The applicants selected in this first phase of sales, which ran from September 9 to 19, will be notified from September 29 and will receive a schedule to purchase their tickets from October 1. Although tickets will be on sale for all 104 matches of the tournament, receiving a schedule does not guarantee their availability. In addition, the purchase will be limited to four tickets per person per match, with a maximum of 40 tickets per person for the entire tournament. The second phase of sales, an early ticket draw, will begin on October 27, with scheduled purchase times between mid-November and early December. A third phase, a random selection draw, will begin after the final draw that will determine the World Cup schedule, which will take place on December 5 in Washington, D.C. FIFA has indicated that tickets will be available “on a first-come, first-served basis” near the tournament. FIFA also announced the launch of an official resale platform on October 2. The 2026 World Cup will be held in 16 cities across North America. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, near New York, will host eight matches, including the final. The ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup will initially range from $60 for group stage matches to $6,730 for the final. However, these prices could vary, as the sporting event will implement a dynamic pricing system for the first time. The current prices represent an increase compared to previous tournaments. In 1994, prices ranged from $25 to $475, while at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, prices varied between $69 and $1,607 (equivalent in US dollars). The dynamic pricing system was already used at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup. Germany, England, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, and Italy complete the list of the 10 countries with the highest number of pre-sale ticket requests. Fans from 216 countries and territories submitted applications in the ticket draw, according to FIFA.These figures are remarkable and demonstrate the great interest. The whole world wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26, the biggest, most inclusive and exciting event ever seen.
Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA
