FIFA Defiant as 5 Million World Cup Tickets Requested

FIFA insists the 2026 World Cup is already a global phenomenon, but the governing body is facing a fierce backlash after confirming it received five million ticket requests within the first 24 hours of its latest sales phase. The surge came despite anger from supporter groups over prices many believe are pushing the tournament beyond the reach of ordinary fans.

World football’s governing body revealed the figures on Friday, pointing to what it called “extraordinary” worldwide demand following last week’s draw for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For the first time, fans were able to request tickets for specific matches, a shift that appears to have fueled the early rush.

FIFA framed the numbers as proof of momentum for the first expanded 48 team World Cup, emphasizing interest from more than 200 countries. What it did not signal was any intention to soften its pricing strategy, even as criticism intensified after ticket costs were made public on Thursday.

That criticism has been sharp and organized. A pricing list circulated by the German Football Association showed group stage tickets ranging from roughly $180 to $700, depending on the match and category. The figures rose dramatically for the showpiece events, with final tickets starting at $4,185 and peaking at $8,680.

Information shared by the English Football Association with the England Supporters Travel Club added further fuel. According to those estimates, a supporter attending every match involving England through to the final would spend just over $7,000 on tickets alone, excluding travel and accommodation.

Football Supporters Europe, a prominent umbrella group, accused FIFA of abandoning the competition’s core values. In a statement, it described the prices as “extortionate” and called for ticket sales through national associations to be paused until a solution that respects the tradition and universality of the World Cup is found. The group went further, labeling the situation “a monumental betrayal” of supporters who, in its view, create the spectacle FIFA profits from.

The tension is sharpened by promises made during the bidding process. When U.S. officials campaigned to host the tournament seven years ago, they highlighted plans to offer hundreds of thousands of low cost seats, with prices as low as $21 during the opening phase. Instead, FIFA has introduced dynamic pricing to the World Cup for the first time, following its use at this year’s Club World Cup, allowing ticket prices to fluctuate based on demand.

Historical comparisons underline why fans are alarmed. When the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, tickets ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022, prices announced ahead of the tournament ran from around $70 to $1,600. The 2026 figures represent a significant jump, especially for marquee matches.

Under the current “random selection draw” system, which opened on Thursday, fans can apply for specific matches, ticket categories and quantities, but there is no guarantee of success. The third sales phase runs until January 13, 2026, with successful applicants notified in February and charged automatically.

FIFA said demand was led by the three host nations, followed by strong interest across the Americas and Europe. Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama were identified as the top requesting countries. Among individual matches, Colombia’s group game against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in Miami on June 27 generated the most requests in the first day.

Yet even in countries enjoying rare World Cup moments, the mood is sour. Scotland will appear at the tournament for the first time since 1998, but the Association of Tartan Army Clubs called the prices “disgraceful and disgusting,” warning that many fans would be priced out. The group urged the Scottish Football Association to challenge FIFA directly.

England’s Football Association is also expected to raise supporter concerns, according to reporting from the Press Association, though there is little expectation that FIFA will reverse course.

FIFA closed its update by stressing that it is a not for profit organization, reinvesting World Cup revenue into football development across its 211 member associations. The statement may be factually accurate, but it does little to resolve the central question now hanging over the 2026 tournament. Can a World Cup built on record demand also remain accessible to the fans who give it meaning, or is global excitement no longer enough to bridge that divide?