The excitement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is already soaring, with more than one million tickets sold in the initial sales phase, FIFA announced on Thursday. The upcoming edition, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the biggest in history - and football fans around the world are eager to be part of it.
In its first sales update since ticketing officially began earlier this month, FIFA revealed that fans from 212 countries and territories have already secured their seats, even though only 28 of the 48 teams have qualified so far.
The highest demand has come from the host nations - the U.S., Canada, and Mexico - followed by England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and France, completing the top 10 list of countries
with the most purchases.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across 16 venues in North America. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed delight at the overwhelming early response, stating, "As national teams across the globe compete for a place at the historic FIFA World Cup 26, I am thrilled so many football-loving fans also want to be part of this watershed event in North America. It's an incredible response, and a wonderful sign that the biggest, most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history is capturing the imagination of supporters everywhere. "
The first round of ticket sales selected buyers through a lottery system from 4.5 million applications submitted last month. FIFA said the next phase of applications will open on October 27, with fans able to apply for single-match tickets as well as venue- and team-specific passes.
In total, there will be roughly 7.1 million seats available across 104 matches, though FIFA has not clarified how many will be released to the public. Ticket prices have varied significantly - some starting at $60 for select matches, while the opening U.S. match in Inglewood, California, ranged from $560 to $2,735. Tickets were categorized from Category 1 (premium seats) to Category 4 (upper-tier seats).
This edition will also mark the first time dynamic pricing is used, meaning prices could fluctuate based on demand. The second ticket draw will run from mid-November to early December, followed by a third random draw after the final group stage draw on December 5. FIFA also confirmed that its official resale platform is now open, giving fans a safe avenue to exchange tickets ahead of the world's biggest football festival.
