FIFA World Cup 2026 presale draws 4.5m fans worldwide

95

FIFA has confirmed unprecedented demand for the 2026 World Cup, with 4.5 million fans from 216 countries and territories entering the first presale draw. The early window, held between September 9–19 and limited to Visa card holders, attracted the largest number of applications from the United States, followed by Mexico and Canada — the three host nations.

Ticket slots for the 104-match tournament will be released from September 29, with buyers given specific times to purchase starting October 1. FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the response “a strong statement,” adding that the numbers reaffirm the World Cup’s role as “the biggest, most inclusive and most exciting event ever seen.”

Dynamic pricing will be used for the first time at a men’s World Cup, with group stage tickets starting at $60 and final match tickets reaching up to $6,730. Sales will be capped at four tickets per person per match, with a maximum of 40 tickets across the tournament.

The 2026 edition will expand to 48 teams and be staged across 16 cities in the US, Mexico, and Canada. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host eight matches, including the final.

A second ticketing phase begins October 27, followed by a random draw after the final tournament draw on December 5 in Washington, D.C. FIFA will also launch an official resale platform on October 2.

The early surge highlights the scale of global anticipation, with football powerhouses such as Germany, Brazil, Argentina, England, and Spain joining the top 10 in applications. For sponsors and broadcasters, it signals record engagement opportunities in the world’s most-watched sporting event.