FIFA Says Over 500 Million Requests for 2026 World Cup Tickets
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Summary: Half-a-billion ticket applications highlight record global demand for the upcoming tournament.
Football’s global governing body FIFA announced on Wednesday that it has received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup, setting a new record for interest in the sport’s biggest event.
The application window — part of FIFA’s Random Selection Draw system — ran for about 33 days and drew submissions from fans in all 211 FIFA member countries and territories, underlining how widespread excitement is for the tournament scheduled to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
This year’s World Cup will be the first with 48 teams, and demand appears strongest not just in the host nations but around the globe. Outside North America, the highest number of applications came from fans in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
Among the most-sought-after fixtures during the ticket application period were the group stage match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami Gardens on 27 June, and other high-profile games including Mexico vs South Korea in Guadalajara, the tournament final in New Jersey, the opening match in Mexico City and a key knockout round tie in Toronto.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the record number of applications as a “global statement” of passion for football, even as the organisation continues to try to balance demand with ticket availability.
The governing body will notify applicants of the outcome no earlier than February 5. Where demand exceeds supply, tickets will be allocated by a random draw. Fans who are unsuccessful in this phase will have another chance to purchase remaining tickets closer to the tournament on a first-come, first-served basis.
To help ensure fairness, FIFA also operates an official resale and exchange platform for eligible ticket holders, designed to protect buyers from unauthorised resales.
The opening match of the World Cup is set for 11 June in Mexico City, and the final will take place on 19 July in New Jersey, capping what promises to be one of the most widely followed sporting events in history.
