Fifa is set to release a new batch of World Cup 2026 tickets tomorrow, Wednesday, just 50 days before the tournament kicks off in North America.
The global football body announced the move today, confirming that tickets for all 104 matches will go on sale at 15:00 GMT via its official website, with purchases processed in real time based on availability. The release follows a pattern of phased sales, with additional batches to be rolled out regularly through to the final on July 19, subject to supply.
According to Fifa, this phase includes tickets for categories one to three and front-row seats, varying by match. A spokesperson emphasized that demand remains strong across all fixtures, noting that over five million tickets have already been sold out of approximately seven million allocated for the tournament, based on the capacity of the 16 host stadiums.
Fifa projects that total sales will surpass the historical record of 3.5 million tickets set during the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Meanwhile, concerns persist over weak demand for the tournament’s opening match between the United States and Paraguay. Data from The Athletic shows only 40,934 tickets sold for that game, compared to 50,661 for the Iran-New Zealand fixture three days later at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
While Fifa estimates the venue’s capacity at around 69,650 spectators, it remains unclear whether this figure includes hospitality tickets, clouding the full picture of demand.
When tickets were first released in October, the U.S.-Paraguay match was priced as the third most expensive in the tournament, behind only the final and one semifinal. Category one tickets were listed at $2,730 and category two at $1,940 — prices that have remained unchanged, reflecting fan resistance to the high cost.
On resale platform StubHub, the cheapest available ticket for the opener is listed at $1,359, while courtside-adjacent seats in Los Angeles have reached as high as $14,000.
In contrast, most other matches have seen strong demand, prompting Fifa to raise prices by hundreds of dollars. The U.S.-Paraguay game remains the only fixture involving a host nation (U.S., Canada, or Mexico) that has not seen a price increase over the past six months.
Sales have been notably slow, with thousands of tickets still available since the “last-minute” sales phase began on April 1, with daily sales rarely exceeding double digits.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino previously stated that the organization had sold nearly five million tickets out of six million, though the exact allocation figure varies across reports.
The broader financial burden of attending the tournament is similarly drawing scrutiny. A Wall Street Journal report cited by ERM News highlights how even ancillary costs have surged — in New York, a typical subway ride to the MetLife Stadium area that once cost under $13 now runs closer to $150 round-trip, illustrating a broader pricing strategy tied to demand.
Ordinary match tickets, once accessible, are now being sold for thousands of dollars, even for seats distant from the pitch, driven by dynamic pricing models and the legal expansion of resale markets, which have opened the door to speculation.
This shift has sparked debate over who benefits from the commercialization of an event historically associated with accessibility, particularly given football’s roots in working-class communities and the modest backgrounds of many of its greatest players.
Critics argue that premium packages offered by organizers now exceed reason for many fans, challenging the sport’s identity as a game for all.
Why are ticket prices for the U.S.-Paraguay match not increasing despite strong demand elsewhere?
Fifa has kept prices for the U.S.-Paraguay opener unchanged at $2,730 for category one and $1,940 for category two, while raising prices for most other matches, indicating a lack of sufficient demand to justify increases.
How many tickets has Fifa sold so far for the 2026 World Cup?
Fifa has sold over five million tickets out of approximately seven million allocated for the tournament, based on stadium capacities across the 16 host venues.
What is the projected outcome for total ticket sales compared to past tournaments?
Fifa anticipates surpassing the 1994 World Cup record of 3.5 million tickets sold, citing strong overall demand despite weak sales for specific matches like the U.S.-Paraguay opener.
