FIFA announced on Tuesday that it would produce more World Cup tickets available at 11am EDT on Wednesday for all 104 games in Categories 1, 2 and 3, alongside the new “front category” pricing introduced this month.
The move follows fan anger over the introduction of premium-priced tiers that disrupted earlier ticket assignments, with supporters alleging they were given less favourable seats despite purchasing higher-category tickets.
In December, FIFA had sold tickets ranging from $140 for Category 3 in the first round to $8,680 for the final, then raised prices to as much as $10,990 when sales reopened on April 1.
The new front category, which FIFA did not comment on after an April 9 request, essentially confirms fan suspicions that better seats were withheld initially to be sold later at elevated prices.
FIFA projects the capacity at Los Angeles SoFi Stadium — where the US-Paraguay and Iran-New Zealand games will be held — to be about 69,650, though it may change.
For the US-Paraguay match on June 12, FIFA’s December sale priced tickets at $1,120, $1,940 and $2,735, even as Iran-New Zealand seats on April 15 were offered at $140, $380 and $450.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that a document distributed to local organisers, dated April 10, showed 40,934 tickets bought for the US-Paraguay game and 50,661 for the Iran-New Zealand contest, indicating lagging demand for the opener.
For more on this story, see Fifa releases new World Cup 2026 tickets for all 104 matches 50 days before kickoff.
Fans accuse FIFA of manipulating seat assignments to justify price hikes
Supporters who bought Category 1 tickets expecting lower bowl, sideline proximity said they were instead assigned to corners or behind goals, fueling beliefs that FIFA deliberately downgraded early purchases to reserve prime seats for the new front category.
One fan, Ben Kurzman, wrote in a Wednesday email to The Athletic that the original seating maps were deceptive, letting buyers believe they might secure close field access when that was never guaranteed.
FIFA expands availability while avoiding public explanation
Despite announcing additional ticket releases for Categories 1-3 and the front category, FIFA did not respond to an April 9 inquiry about the new pricing tiers, maintaining silence as sales resumed.
The governing body’s strategy of rolling out higher-priced options after initial sales has intensified scrutiny over transparency in its ticketing process for the 2026 tournament.
Why did FIFA add a new front category after tickets had already been sold?
FIFA introduced the front category to sell premium seats — such as the first several rows of lower-level sections — at higher prices, which fans allege were withheld from initial Category 1 assignments to justify the price increase.
What does the lagging sales data for the US-Paraguay match suggest?
The reported 40,934 tickets sold for the US-Paraguay game at SoFi Stadium, compared to a projected capacity of 69,650, indicates weaker-than-expected demand for the tournament’s opening fixture despite expanded availability.