Despite 'Extortionate' Prices, FIFA World Cup 2026 Ticket Requests Hit 5 Million

FIFA registered a massive surge of 5 million ticket requests in the first 24 hours of its World Cup 2026 random lottery, even as fan organizations worldwide decried the "extortionate" pricing structure. The high demand signals persistent fan enthusiasm despite ticket costs that have dramatically escalated compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Details of the steep price hikes emerged from lists published by participant member associations, including the German and Croatian federations. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) calculated that the most dedicated fans who follow their team from the opening match to the Final could expect to pay a minimum of US$6,900 for match tickets alone—a figure FSE notes is five times the cost in Qatar. This cost does not account for the flights and accommodation required for the month-long tournament spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The cost for individual group stage matches ranges from US180 to US700, with the cheapest ticket to the Final priced at an astounding US$4,185. These prices are a stark contradiction to the "hundreds of thousands of US$21 seats" promised in the initial US bid.

FSE fiercely criticized the move, calling it a "monumental betrayal" of the World Cup's tradition. They pointed out that FIFA has abandoned standard pricing for group games, now seemingly relying on dynamic pricing based on the "perceived attractiveness of the fixture." FSE urged FIFA to halt sales for participant member association tickets until a fairer solution could be established.

Despite the widespread condemnation over "record high prices," fans from over 200 countries flooded the ticketing portal. The application window runs until January 13th, with a randomized lottery set to determine the winners in February. FIFA, touting the "excitement" of the fans, shows little indication of backing down on the current cost structure.