FIFA on Monday launched the next wave of World Cup ticket sales, putting another 1 million seats up for grabs as part of the tournament’s second sales phase.
The new draw, open until 11:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, features a special domestic window for fans in the three host nations – the United States, Canada and Mexico. During this period, residents whose entries are selected will get priority access to purchase single-match tickets for games in their own countries.
Still, the phase remains open to supporters worldwide, ensuring a global chance to secure tickets for the 2026 spectacle – set to be the biggest FIFA World Cup ever staged.
“We’ve already seen extraordinary enthusiasm from fans across the globe, and especially within the host countries as Canada, Mexico and the United States prepare to welcome the world,” said tournament Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi. “This second phase, with its domestic exclusivity period, is our way of thanking local fans while keeping the process open to everyone worldwide.”
Fans from the United States, Canada and Mexico who enter the draw before it closes Friday have a chance to receive – through what FIFA says is a randomized process – a time slot during which they can buy tickets starting Nov. 12.
Those slots will be issued through Nov. 15. Fans who win those chances will be notified at least 48 hours before their time slot opens.
Residents of the three host countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico, in that order – purchased more tickets than those from any other nation in the initial phase of ticketing. England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina and France, in that order, rounded out the top 10.
Once the domestic exclusivity period ends, more fans will be eligible to obtain purchasing slots starting Nov. 17. Additional tickets will be made available in subsequent phases, FIFA said.
FIFA announced earlier this month that more than 1 million tickets have already been sold for next year’s World Cup, with people from 212 countries and territories having already purchased. So far, 28 of the 48 team slots have been filled.
The start of ticket sales doesn’t change the fact that there are still questions for consumers heading into the tournament, particularly about how they’ll obtain visas, if necessary, to visit the United States as the country tightens its immigration rules.
An international friendly between defending World Cup champion Argentina – featuring Lionel Messi – and Puerto Rico was moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, because of lagging ticket sales that some believe were tied to the immigration crackdown.
Based on listed stadium capacities, there are roughly 7.1 million seats to fill for the tournament’s 104 matches across 16 North American venues.
It remains unclear how many of those seats will be available for sale to the public.
Ticket data shows that the lowest-priced seats – set at $60 – were available for at least 40 matches. Most seats for the majority of matches were priced much higher.
The opening U.S. match, to be played in Inglewood, California, had prices ranging from $560 to $2,735 when sales opened.
On the resale market, at least one ticket for that opening match on June 12 was listed for more than $60,000 earlier this month.
Fans with the option to purchase can choose seats in one of four categories: Category 1 represents the best seats, while Category 4 is located near the tops of stadiums. Ticket prices are expected to fluctuate as football’s biggest event utilizes dynamic pricing for the first time.
