LOS ANGELES: Demand for tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has surged despite growing criticism from fan groups over soaring prices, with FIFA confirming it received around five million ticket requests within the first 24 hours of the latest sales phase.
Fans from more than 200 countries and territories applied through FIFA.com for seats at the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The strong demand comes amid mounting frustration among supporters’ groups. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) on Thursday urged FIFA to immediately suspend sales of national team ticket allocations, accusing the governing body of setting “extortionate” prices that could price ordinary fans out of the World Cup experience. According to FSE, ticket prices have increased as much as five-fold compared with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Despite the backlash, early demand has been fueled by blockbuster group-stage fixtures. The most sought-after match so far is Colombia versus Portugal in Miami on June 27, during FIFA’s Random Selection Draw period. Other high-demand matches include Brazil versus Morocco in New York/New Jersey on June 13, Mexico versus South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, Ecuador versus Germany in New York/New Jersey on June 25, and Scotland versus Brazil in Miami on June 24.
After the three host nations, the largest number of ticket requests came from fans based in Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama. FIFA said the strong interest from South and Central America highlights the tournament’s growing appeal across the region, while Scotland’s ranking reflects excitement over the country’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years.
The Random Selection Draw phase will remain open until January 13 at 11:00 a.m. ET, with FIFA emphasizing that the timing of an application does not influence the likelihood of success. Fans can apply for specific matches, ticket categories and quantities, subject to household limits, and successful applicants will be charged automatically.
– Tim Carroll
