More than 4.5 million football fans worldwide have applied for tickets in the first phase of sales for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States next summer.
According to FIFA, fans from 216 countries and territories participated in the Visa Presale Draw, with the highest number of applications coming from residents of the three host nations, led by the United States, followed by Mexico and Canada. Other countries in the top 10 included Germany, England, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Spain and Italy.
“These are not only outstanding figures, but also a strong statement,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “The whole world wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26 — the biggest, most inclusive and most exciting event ever seen. In 2026, with 48 teams playing in 16 incredible cities, the world will come together in North America like never before.”
Applicants will be notified of their status via email starting Monday, 29 September, with purchasing time slots beginning on Wednesday, 1 October. FIFA stressed that while successful applicants will receive a window to buy tickets, availability during those slots is not guaranteed.
Tickets for group-stage matches will start from as low as $60. Fans will be able to purchase single-match tickets for all 104 games, as well as venue- and team-specific packages. An official resale platform will also launch on 2 October to curb unauthorised resales, with a special ticket exchange platform available for Mexican residents.
The second ticketing phase, the Early Ticket Draw, will open on Monday, 27 October. FIFA reminded fans to purchase tickets only through its official portal, FIFA.com/tickets, or via authorised hospitality packages, to avoid invalid sales.
The post Over 4.5 million fans apply for first phase of FIFA World Cup 26 ticket sales appeared first on Vanguard News.
