FIFA Faces Backlash Amid Record Ticket Demand

FIFA has announced a tremendous success in the initial stage of the sale of tickets to the world cup 2026 with almost five million requests of tickets getting in the first 24 hours of sale. The influx is in attracting a wide backlash among fan groups of sharply increased ticket prices.

The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest ever in the history of the tournament, and it will consist of 48 teams and will be hosted in the trilogy of the United States, Canada, and Mexico between 11 June and 19 July 2026. FIFA said that during its official ticketing platform, applications were received by fans in over 200 countries, illustrating how the event attracted the world.

Controversy has however accompanied the enthusiasm. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has called on FIFA to halt the sale of tickets by the national teams arguing that they have been hiking ticket prices by up to fivefold than the previous Qatar world cup in 2022. The organisation threatened to lock out the world cup by excluding ordinary, everyday fans, making the world cup a place of wealthy fans only.

In the first stage, the demand has been extremely motivated by marquee group-stage matches. The Colombia vs Portugal match in Miami on 27 June is the most demanded match till now. Others that are in high demand are Brazil vs. Morocco in New York/New Jersey, Mexico vs. South Korea in Guadalajara and the Scotland vs. Brazil clash in Miami.

FIFA unveiled that Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, and Scotland had the largest number of requests of tickets after the three host nations. The good popularity of the South and Central American regions shows the regional value of the tournament, and the participation of Scotland shows the enthusiasm of the country their coming back to the world cup after the previous 28 years of absence.

Random Selection Draw will start until 13 January and FIFA emphasises that an early application is not better than being selected.