In a display of unprecedented global demand for a sporting event, FIFA has confirmed it received over 500 million ticket requests during the 33-day application window for the 2026 World Cup, setting a staggering new benchmark for fan interest.
The figures, released Wednesday after the Random Selection Draw period closed on January 13, translate to an average of 15 million ticket requests per day and highlight the massive appeal of the first-ever 48-team tournament to be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
According to FIFA, applications flowed in from fans residing in all 211 FIFA member association countries and territories, with the host nations naturally among the top applicant countries. The list of highest-demand nations outside North America underscores football’s global powerhouses and passionate fan bases, led by Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.
“Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand – it’s a global statement,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “On behalf of FIFA, I would like to thank and congratulate football fans everywhere for this extraordinary response.”
The most sought-after fixture in the sales phase was the group-stage clash between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27.
It was followed by Mexico versus Korea Republic in Guadalajara, the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on June 11, and a Round of 32 match in Toronto on July 2.
This mix of high-profile group games and knockout-stage encounters demonstrates widespread interest across all three host nations.
This overwhelming demand collides with a finite supply of tickets, a reality that ensures heartbreak for the vast majority of applicants. FIFA has already sold approximately 2 million tickets in earlier sales phases.
While an exact figure of remaining tickets was not specified in the latest announcement, officials have indicated that between 4 and 5 million tickets remained for this lottery phase, with around 7 million total tickets expected to be available for the entire tournament.
With each application able to request between one and four tickets, the 500 million requests likely represent interest in well over one billion individual seat placements, creating an extreme mismatch between supply and demand.
The process now moves to a verification and random selection phase. FIFA stated it will check that applications meet requirements and household limits before allocating tickets via a random draw for matches where requests exceed availability.
Fans will be notified of the outcome by email no earlier than February 5, with applications classified as successful, partially successful, or unsuccessful. Those who are unsuccessful will have another opportunity to purchase remaining tickets during a Last-Minute Sales phase closer to the tournament.
This record-shattering demand occurs despite sustained criticism from fans and officials over FIFA’s ticket pricing strategy. Prices for the 2026 tournament are significantly higher than for previous World Cups, with top-category tickets for the final reportedly costing up to $8,680.
Critics, including some political leaders, have warned that the high prices risk turning the event into a spectacle primarily for the wealthy. In response to earlier criticism, FIFA announced in December it would offer a limited number of $60 tickets for each match to the 48 participating national federations for distribution to their most loyal supporters.
The scale of interest extends far beyond the stadiums. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, noted that December’s tournament draw attracted an estimated 800 million viewers, a figure that dwarfs the audience for major American sporting events and underscores the World Cup’s unique global reach.
With the tournament set to kick off on June 11, 2026, these ticket numbers confirm its trajectory toward becoming the most in-demand live sporting event in history, even as they raise complex questions about accessibility and the experience of the average fan.