Geneva / December 30, 2025 — The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already captured the world’s imagination in a big way, with ticket demand shattering previous records, the sport’s global governing body FIFA announced Monday.
With the tournament still months away, the response from fans across the globe has been unprecedented, pointing to what organisers hope will be the most inclusive and widely celebrated World Cup in history.
According to FIFA, more than 150 million ticket requests have been received so far for the 2026 World Cup during the Random Selection Draw phase of ticket sales — an early round designed to allocate entries fairly among applicants. The volume of requests is so high that it is oversubscribed more than 30-fold when measured against the number of available tickets.
Record Demand Across 200+ Countries
Fans from over 200 countries and regions flooded the FIFA ticketing platform after the Random Selection Draw phase opened on December 11, 2025. That phase runs through January 13, 2026, and allows football supporters to apply for specific match tickets.
What makes this surge particularly remarkable is that the total number of ticket requests is 3.4 times greater than the aggregate attendance at all 964 matches across the 22 previous editions of the tournament since 1930.
FIFA President Calls It a “Celebration of Unity”
FIFA President Giovanni Infantino described the overwhelming interest as “a true representation of how our game is loved globally,” and asserted that this edition “is set to be the greatest and most inclusive show on the planet.” Organisers are positioning the 2026 World Cup as a historic celebration that will bring people together like never before.
A World Cup of Unprecedented Scale
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States — the first time the tournament will be staged across three nations. The event kicks off on June 11, 2026, and will culminate with the final on July 19, 2026.
A record 48 teams will compete, and the total number of matches has been expanded to 104, up from 64 in previous tournaments. Matches will be played across 16 host cities, reflecting a sprawling and ambitious schedule aimed at maximising global participation and engagement.
What This Means for Fans and Football
The extraordinary ticket demand underscores the global popularity of football, particularly for the World Cup, which is widely considered the biggest single-sport event in the world. Demand at this scale presents logistical challenges for FIFA and host cities, including ticket allocation, stadium logistics, transit, accommodation and fan movement. Organisers must balance fair access with operational capacity, all while maintaining safety and security standards.
For fans, this means that competition for tickets — even in the early random-selection phase — will be fierce. Many supporters may be waiting to see whether they secure tickets during the current phase or in subsequent sale windows, including priority allocations for certain groups such as local residents and qualifying teams.
Connecting Football with Global Unity
The scale of ticket requests also highlights football’s role as a global cultural phenomenon that transcends borders. From Europe to Africa, Asia to the Americas, fans continue to show their passion for the sport and their eagerness to be part of the World Cup experience. FIFA has emphasised that its expanded format is designed to make the sport more inclusive and accessible, particularly for countries that had fewer opportunities to participate under the traditional 32-team structure.
The excitement generated by this demand is already translating into broader anticipation for the tournament itself, with speculation about team form, player fitness and national hopes dominating sports talk around the world.
Looking Ahead
With the Random Selection Draw ticket phase still ongoing, fans have until January 13, 2026, to submit or adjust ticket requests. Successful applicants will be notified after the phase ends and allocation decisions are made. Remaining tickets are expected to be offered later through additional sales phases, priority windows and last-minute releases as the tournament approaches.
From its expanded format, record ticket demand and multi-nation hosting, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be a defining moment in global sport — one that may well set new standards for fan participation and international engagement.
