A ticket war has begun around the world surrounding the 2026 Football World Cup. This tournament has already set a new record in FIFA history. More than 4.5 million fans have applied for tickets in the first phase. This information was given in a report released by FIFA on Friday.

The largest number of applications came from the host United States. In addition, significant applications were also received from the other two host countries, Mexico and Canada. However, FIFA did not release detailed numbers by country. Only Visa credit card holders had the opportunity to apply in the pre-sale phase.

After the first phase, which lasted from September 9 to 19, FIFA said that selected applicants will be notified by email from September 29 who will have the opportunity to buy tickets. They will be able to buy tickets within a specified period from October 1.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, “This number is not only incredible, it proves that football is the most popular sport in the world. The whole world is eager to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. This will be the biggest and most inclusive tournament in history.”

Ticket sales and rules

A total of 104 matches will be held in the 2026 World Cup. Ticket prices for the group stage will start at just $60. However, even if you get a specific time, getting a ticket is not guaranteed.

A maximum of 4 tickets can be purchased for each match

A maximum of 40 tickets can be purchased for the entire tournament

The second phase of ticket sales, the 'Early Ticket Draw', will begin on October 27, which will continue until November-December. The third phase, the 'Random Selection Draw', will begin on December 5, after the final draw is held in Washington, DC. After that, ticket sales will continue on a "first come, first served" basis. FIFA will also launch an official ticket resale platform from October 2.

Previous record broken

FIFA said that 1.5 million applications were submitted from 210 countries for the Visa card pre-sale in just 24 hours. This is 300,000 more than the Qatar World Cup at the same time. The host countries—the United States, Mexico and Canada—are at the top again. They are followed by world champions Argentina.

2026 World Cup: At a Glance

Schedule: June 11 to July 19, 2026

Teams: 48 teams participating for the first time

Opening match: Historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City

Final: MetLife Stadium in New York, USA

Match times (Bangladesh): 4am, 7am, 10am, 1pm

Host cities

United States: Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, San Francisco, Seattle

Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey

Canada: Toronto, Vancouver