FIFA logs record 500 million World Cup ticket requests for 2026, to be decided by draws
FIFA said more than 500 million ticket requests were filed during the month-long window for the 2026 World Cup, with random draws planned to assign tickets for all 104 matches in February; about 2 million tickets had already been sold and 4–5 million remain, signaling oversubscription. The most requested matches included Colombia-Portugal, Mexico-Korea Republic, the final and the opener, while high prices and a robust resale market have drawn scrutiny. A final sales phase in spring remains possible as the tournament runs June 11–July 19 across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.