The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced an unprecedented surge in demand for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, revealing that it has received over 500 million ticket requests from fans worldwide. This remarkable figure was confirmed by FIFA on January 15, highlighting the immense global anticipation for the tournament.
Set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a landmark event, marking the first time in history that 48 national teams will compete. This expanded format, along with the prestigious co-hosting nations, has clearly captivated football enthusiasts across the globe, contributing significantly to the extraordinary interest in attending the matches.
FIFA previously stated that fans from all 211 member countries and regions have submitted requests for tickets. Beyond the already high demand from citizens of the host nations—the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—supporters from football powerhouses such as Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia have also filed a substantial number of requests. These applications are meticulously verified by the global football governing body through credit card data, with an astonishing average of 15 million ticket requests being processed daily.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino underscored the magnitude of this demand, stating, ‘Approximately 500 million tickets have been requested by football fans in just one month. This number far exceeds the available supply, clearly demonstrating the immense appeal of the World Cup 2026.’ His statement reaffirms the tournament’s powerful global draw and its potential to break attendance and viewership records.
Among the plethora of matches, some encounters have garnered particularly high interest. Ticket requests for the clash between Colombia and Portugal, scheduled for June 27 at Miami Gardens in Florida, have been exceptionally high. Another highly sought-after match is the contest between Mexico and South Korea on June 18, set to take place in Guadalajara.
Predictably, tickets for the final match, slated for July 19 in New Jersey, are also among the most requested. Amid this intense demand, there are reports circulating that FIFA is considering increasing the price of final match tickets, potentially to as much as $8,680. Fans who have successfully secured tickets will be notified by FIFA via email communication, with responses expected to be sent out starting in early February.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, with its groundbreaking expansion to 48 teams, is scheduled to commence on June 11 and conclude on July 19, 2026. This historic tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico promises to be an unforgettable spectacle for football fans worldwide.
