Demand for 2026 World Cup seats has exploded, with FIFA confirming that the initial random‑draw ticket phase wrapped up on Tuesday after attracting more than half a billion requests.
The expanded 48‑team tournament will unfold across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Colombia vs. Portugal, a Group K clash set for June 27 in Miami, drew the highest number of applications. The opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa in Mexico City on June 11 — ranked fourth overall in demand.
Other fixtures generating major interest include Mexico vs. South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, the July 19 final in East Rutherford, and a round‑of‑32 showdown in Toronto on July 2.
Equal chance
The draw phase, which opened on December 11, allowed fans to submit applications using a credit card. All applicants enter the same pool, giving everyone an identical chance of being selected to purchase tickets.
Fans who miss out will still have opportunities in later sales windows as more tickets are released.
FIFA says applicants will receive email notifications about the draw results no earlier than February 5.
The strongest demand came from the host nations — the United States, Mexico and Canada — followed by Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the global enthusiasm, calling the response “a statement from football fans worldwide.”
