FIFA announces new 2026 World Cup pricing tier
FIFA announced a new 2026 World Cup pricing tier after a wave of criticism from fans about affordability.
Thursday, Feb. 5 is a significant day for many fans on the road to the 2026 World Cup, as the results of the Random Selection Draw ticket application lottery are revealed.
The most recent phase of ticket sales ran from Dec. 11 to Jan. 13, with FIFA saying that it received more than 500 million requests for this summer’s tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in history, featuring 48 teams for the first time. The 104 games will be spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the U.S. hosting the majority.
As fans start to get the news — good or bad — here is everything you need to know about the most recent phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup.
How do World Cup ticket lottery results work?
FIFA has said that fans will receive an email with Random Selection Draw lottery results no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 5 if their application is successful or partially successful.
A successful application means that fans will receive tickets to every game they applied for, while partially successful means they got tickets to some, but not all.
If they are successful or partially successful, fans will be automatically charged for the tickets that they receive.
If an application is unsuccessful, fans will not be charged and will be able to apply for tickets in future sales phases.
FIFA recommends that fans regularly check their email inbox and spam folders, and add FIFA ticketing’s email address ([email protected] and [email protected]) to their safe sender list.
What is the next chance to buy World Cup tickets?
If fans are unsuccessful or partially successful in this phase of the lottery — or if they just want to buy more tickets — there will be more opportunities to come.
The next opportunity is called the Last-Minute Sales phase, which FIFA has said will open in early April.
During this period, tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, and purchases will be processed and confirmed immediately, subject to availability.
FIFA is also running its own Resale/Exchange Marketplace, which will close on Feb. 22 and reopen on April 2.
Which games had the highest demand?
According to FIFA, these five games had the highest number of ticket requests during the Random Selection Draw phase.
- Colombia vs. Portugal — June 27 in Miami
- Mexico vs. South Korea — June 18 in Guadalajara
- The final (teams TBD) — July 19 in New York/New Jersey
- Mexico vs. South Africa (tournament’s opening match) — June 11 in Mexico City
- Round of 32 match (teams TBD) — July 2 in Toronto
Aside from the host countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada — the highest number of applications came from fans residing in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
When is the 2026 World Cup?
The World Cup gets underway on June 11 as Mexico hosts South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament will run all the way through July 19, when the final will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
