Football’s global governing body, FIFA, has revealed that it received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underscoring unprecedented global interest in the tournament despite widespread criticism over high ticket prices.
In a statement released on Wednesday, FIFA said fans from all its 211 member associations submitted applications for tickets to the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The initial ticket application window, which operated on a lottery basis, closed on Tuesday. FIFA confirmed that applicants would be informed of the outcome of their requests no earlier than February 5.
Outside the three host nations, the highest demand for tickets came from fans in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
FIFA disclosed that the most requested match was Colombia’s group-stage clash against Portugal in Miami on June 27. This was followed by Mexico’s encounter with South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, while the World Cup final, scheduled for July 19 in New Jersey, also ranked among the top requests.
Reacting to the massive demand, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the response as historic.
“Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand – it’s a global statement,” Infantino said. “It shows how much this tournament means to people around the world. Our only regret is that we cannot welcome every fan inside the stadiums.”
However, the excitement surrounding the expanded 48-team tournament has been tempered by criticism over ticket prices. Supporters’ groups have accused FIFA of pricing out ordinary fans, with Football Supporters Europe (FSE) describing the costs as “extortionate” and “astronomical.”
According to FSE, ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup are nearly five times higher than those of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
In response to the backlash, FIFA announced in December the introduction of a new category of lower-priced tickets, starting at $60 (approximately €51), in a bid to make the competition more accessible to fans worldwide.
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