FIFA announced on Wednesday that it has received an unprecedented volume of more than 500 million ticket requests for the forthcoming World Cup scheduled for this year. This staggering number reflects the extensive global interest and enthusiasm surrounding the tournament hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Among international supporters, the nations with the highest ticket requests outside the hosts include Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia. This illustrates the widespread appeal of the event beyond the host countries and indicates a significant international presence among prospective attendees.
The pricing of tickets has emerged as a notable point of discussion. FIFA initially set a maximum ticket price as high as $8,680, a factor that led to public criticism. In response to the concerns expressed by fans and stakeholders, FIFA implemented a measure last month to make tickets available at a substantially lower price point of $60 per game. This reduced pricing applies to tickets allocated to the 48 national federations participating in the tournament. Each federation holds the responsibility of distributing these affordable tickets to their fans, with priority given to those who have attended their national teams’ previous matches.
During the third phase of ticket sales, which spanned from December 11 through the following Tuesday, FIFA identified the matches that attracted the greatest demand. The most sought-after match was Colombia versus Portugal, set for June 27 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Following closely were Mexico against South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico; the tournament final scheduled for July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey; the opening game featuring Mexico versus South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City; and a second-round game scheduled for July 2 in Toronto.
Due to demand exceeding ticket availability for several matches, FIFA stated that notifications to applicants regarding their ticket requests will be communicated no earlier than February 5. The allocation process for oversubscribed matches will be conducted using a random selection method, ensuring an equitable distribution of tickets among those who applied.