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World Cup 2026 Ticket Frenzy Continues Despite Fan Outcry Over Soaring Prices
FIFA announced Friday that the third phase of 2026 World Cup ticket sales saw an astounding 5 million requests within its first 24 hours, even as supporter groups worldwide voice strong opposition to the recently revealed pricing.
World soccer’s governing body hailed the figures as evidence of “extraordinary levels” of global demand. This latest sales phase, which allows fans to request tickets for specific matchups following last week’s tournament draw for games in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, appears to be a runaway success by FIFA’s metrics.
Despite the “excitement” from over 200 countries eager to secure spots at the first-ever 48-team World Cup, FIFA shows no signs of backing down from the fierce criticism that erupted when the latest ticket prices were unveiled on Thursday.
According to a list published by the German Football Association, group stage tickets range from a hefty $180 to $700. For those dreaming of the final, prices start at $4,185 and climb to an eye-watering $8,680. The English Football Association shared similar figures with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC), indicating that attending every game through the final could set a fan back over $7,000.
Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has slammed the current prices as “extortionate,” calling on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales through national associations. FSE demands a “solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup.” In a scathing statement, FSE declared, “This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is.”
When the United States initially bid for the tournament seven years ago, officials aimed to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats during the opening phase. However, FIFA has now implemented dynamic pricing for the first time at a World Cup, a strategy previously used at this summer’s Club World Cup, meaning prices will fluctuate based on demand.
For context, the last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994, prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022, tickets ranged from approximately $70 to $1,600.
The “random selection draw” that began Thursday allows fans to select their desired matches, ticket categories, and number of tickets, though success is not guaranteed. This sales phase continues until January 13, 2026, with successful applicants notified via email and automatically charged in February.
FIFA reports that the three host countries led the demand in this third phase, with significant interest also coming from elsewhere in the Americas. Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France, and Panama round out the top ten countries with the most ticket requests.
Among the group stage matchups, Colombia’s clash with Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in Miami on June 27 garnered the highest number of ticket requests in the initial 24 hours. Other highly sought-after games include Brazil vs.
Morocco (New Jersey), Mexico vs. South Korea (Guadalajara), Ecuador vs.
Germany (New Jersey), and Scotland vs. Brazil (Miami).
Despite Scotland’s strong demand for tickets for their first World Cup appearance since 1998, a Scottish supporters’ group has labeled the prices “disgraceful and disgusting,” urging the country’s football association to convey their disapproval to FIFA. The Association of Tartan Army Clubs (ATAC) stated, “This is going to price out many of our fans…
FIFA have killed the dream of our young fans, desperate to get to a World Cup.” ATAC implored the Scottish Football Association to “stand up to FIFA, together with other associations, to get FIFA to halt this sale and reconsider the prices for our supporters.”
Meanwhile, England’s Football Association is reportedly set to communicate the discontent of its fans to FIFA, though expectations for any change remain low.
FIFA concluded its Friday update by asserting its status as a “not-for-profit organisation,” stating that it “reinvests the revenue it generates from the FIFA World Cup to fuel the growth of football [men’s, women’s and youth] throughout the 211 FIFA Member Associations globally.”