How to buy tickets for the 2026 World Cup

Tom Weber

• 2 Dec 2025 15:00 CST
• 5 min read

Analysis

There are different ways for fans to secure tickets to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

FIFA's upcoming showpiece event will be the largest-ever World Cup, with 48 teams set to compete for one of sport's most coveted prizes. However, the process of obtaining tickets for the tournament can be quite complex.

Previously, only people selected in a lottery were eligible to purchase tickets. Now, after two lottery rounds, supporters can acquire hospitality packages to individual matches, but with two significant caveats: the teams competing in said fixtures are not yet known, and prices are higher.

The draw for the World Cup group stage will take place on Friday, 5 December, and a revised schedule will be released the following day, which is when the real purchasing frenzy starts, as supporters will know when and where their countries will play.

FIFA has announced that two million tickets have already been sold, but two more official sales phases are planned. The first will be another lottery, the second an open market on a first-come, first-served basis as long as inventory remains available.

How to buy World Cup tickets

The most secure way to acquire tickets for the 2026 World Cup is by using FIFA's official ticketing shop. On 11 December, six days after the draw, FIFA will open the first of its two remaining purchasing phases.

Fans will be able to once again submit applications to a lottery, and this window will remain open until 13 January. The timing of the application will not impact supporters' chances of securing a ticket.

Applicants will be able to request tickets to multiple matches, but there is no guarantee that every order will be approved. FIFA explicitly states that it is possible to have 'partially successful applications' where fans secure tickets, but not for all the matches they applied for.

The tickets available in the lottery are broken up into four pricing categories, which range from $60 to $620 and are not available to the general public.

Closer to the tournament, FIFA will dump its remaining inventory on an open market where fans will be able to secure whatever tickets are still available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those who do not wish to leave the acquisition of tickets up to chance can already purchase hospitality packages, which include entry to games. It is, however, advisable to wait until the draw to know which match-ups will be included in these packages.

It is also important to note that FIFA is sticking with its controversial dynamic-pricing system, which means that prices fluctuate depending on demand. The cheapest single-match hospitality ticket costs $1,400 at the time of writing, and prices can exceed the $3,000 mark.

Prices for venue-specific packages, which can include between four and nine games, start from $8,275, while a 'Follow My Team' package, which is not yet available, starts at $6,750 and only guarantees entry until the round of 32.

There is also the option of trying to secure a Participating Member Association (PMA) supporter ticket. The qualified nations have been allocated a certain number of tickets and are responsible for selling them, so the process of obtaining a PMA ticket varies from country to country.

Finally, those looking to snag a bargain can try their luck on the resale market. FIFA runs its own exchange market, but tickets are also available on third-party websites like StubHub. However, prices can vary dramatically.

FIFA reportedly charges a 15 per cent commission and has not implemented a cap, which means that fees can still be excessive. On StubHub, prices are also extremely volatile.

When the first batch of tickets was released, prices for the final at MetLife Stadium reached the hundreds of thousands. However, single-match group stage tickets can be comparatively affordable, and some are currently available for under $300.

FIFA emphasises that being in possession of a ticket does not automatically guarantee entry to a host nation. This is particularly important to keep in mind in light of potential visa restrictions in the US.

The Trump administration hit 19 countries with a travel ban in June, including World Cup participants Haiti and Iran. The latter's federation has announced that it will boycott the 5 December draw after several members of the travel delegation were denied visas.

Despite FIFA and the US government putting a fast-track visa application system in place for ticket holders, it is advised that would-be travellers attempt to secure the necessary entry paperwork as early as possible.

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