The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, is generating unprecedented global interest alongside significant controversy over ticket accessibility. Recent data reveals overwhelming public demand that has far exceeded all previous sporting events.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced at the World Sports Summit in Dubai that tournament organizers have received a staggering 150 million ticket requests within just 15 days of sales opening. This remarkable figure, averaging 10 million daily requests, represents a volume 30 times greater than the actual ticket availability and surpasses the cumulative attendance of all 22 previous World Cup tournaments since 1930.
The massive demand has highlighted serious concerns about pricing structure and accessibility. Despite initial promises from FIFA leadership that the 2026 event would be the ‘most inclusive’ World Cup ever organized, published ticket prices have drawn widespread criticism from supporter associations worldwide.
The pricing structure divides tickets into four categories based on seating location, with Category 1 representing the most premium lower-tier seats and Category 4 comprising the most affordable upper-tier options. In response to international backlash over what critics have termed ‘astronomical’ pricing, FIFA introduced a new Supporter Entry category priced at $60 per match.
However, this accessibility measure appears largely symbolic. The discounted tickets represent only 1.6% of the 8% allocation reserved for participating national federations, translating to approximately 1,000 $60 tickets per match to be divided equally between competing teams’ supporters. Distribution of these limited affordable tickets will be managed by individual national associations without standardized oversight procedures.
The discrepancy between massive public demand and limited affordable access has created tension surrounding what promises to be the largest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams competing across 104 matches in state-of-the-art venues across North America.