FIFA has revealed that it received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during a 33-day application window that closed earlier this week, calling it an unprecedented landmark in global sport.
The expanded tournament, to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will feature 48 teams for the first time. According to FIFA, applications poured in from fans across all 211 member associations.
Each request was verified using unique credit card data, with supporters submitting an average of 15 million ticket applications per day. Outside the three host nations, the strongest demand came from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia. The most in-demand fixture was the group-stage clash between Colombia and Portugal, scheduled to take place in Miami on 27 June.
Reacting to the surge in interest, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, “Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand, it’s a global statement.” Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their requests by email no earlier than 5 February. In cases where demand outstrips availability, tickets will be allocated through a random draw.
Fans who miss out in this phase will get another opportunity during a later sales window closer to the tournament, when tickets will be released on a first-come, first-served basis. FIFA will also run an official resale and exchange platform for eligible ticket holders, designed to offer a secure and regulated way to buy and sell tickets.
The 2026 World Cup will kick off on 11 June, with Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City, while the final is scheduled to be played on 19 July in New Jersey.
