CORAL GABLES, Fla. — FIFA announced on Wednesday that it has garnered over 500 million requests for tickets to this year’s World Cup.
The governing body of soccer revealed that, apart from fans from the host countries United States, Mexico, and Canada, the highest number of requests came from supporters in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.
FIFA is setting ticket prices as high as $8,680 each. In response to backlash, FIFA stated last month that it will provide $60 tickets for every match to the 48 national federations participating in the tournament, and those federations will determine how to allocate them to fans who have attended their previous matches.
It noted that the match with the highest demand during the third ticket sales phase, which occurred from Dec. 11 until Tuesday, was Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27 at Miami Gardens, Florida, followed by Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico; the final on July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey; the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City; and a round of 16 game on July 2 in Toronto.
«Understanding the significance of this tournament for people globally, our sole regret is that we cannot accommodate every supporter inside the stadiums,» stated FIFA president Gianni Infantino. «This is why we are dedicated to providing various opportunities for fans to engage with the FIFA World Cup 2026 — through an array of fan experiences beyond the stadiums, both live and online — so that as many individuals as possible can partake in what will be the largest sporting event ever held.»
FIFA indicated that it will inform applicants about their ticket status no sooner than Feb. 5 and will allocate tickets randomly for matches that exceed the available supply.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
