Overview
- FIFA says 150 million applications arrived in the first 15 days for roughly 6–7 million seats, leaving the draw about 30 times oversubscribed.
- Requests came from more than 200 countries, with the United States leading interest ahead of Germany and the United Kingdom.
- The Random Selection Draw remains open through Jan. 13, after which tickets will be allocated by lot and later sales windows will follow.
- Supporter groups denounce sharp price increases versus Qatar 2022; FIFA introduced a limited $60 supporter tier that critics say does not solve affordability concerns.
- The 2026 event expands to 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and Dubai will host next year’s FIFA Best Awards.