4.5 Million Fans Apply for 2026 World Cup Tickets in First Phase

With nearly a year to go before the next FIFA World Cup kicks off, excitement among football supporters is already gathering pace and the evidence of that enthusiasm emerged on Friday as FIFA revealed that 4.5 million people have applied for tickets in the opening phase of sales.According to the governing body’s report, most of the applications for the first pre-sale draw came from the United States. The limited pre-sale window, available exclusively to Visa credit card holders, closed only a few hours before FIFA’s announcement.Co-host nations Mexico and Canada also featured prominently among the countries generating the highest demand, though FIFA did not disclose a breakdown of applications by territory.Applicants selected in the draw will be informed from 29 September and will have until 1 October to purchase tickets within the designated window.Commenting on the figures, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “This is not only an extraordinary number but also ...

• 20 Sep 2025