The FIFA 2026 World Cup has generated an unprecedented global response, with more than 500 million ticket requests submitted during the random selection draw phase, which ran from December 11 to January 13.

FIFA received applications from fans across all 211 FIFA Member Associations.

On average, fans submitted around 15 million ticket requests per day, all validated through unique credit card information.

Beyond the host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada, the highest number of applications came from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.

The most in-demand match was the group-stage encounter between Colombia and Portugal, scheduled for June 27 in Miami, Florida.

Other high-demand fixtures included Mexico versus Korea Republic in Guadalajara on June 18, the final in New York/New Jersey on July 19, the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on June 11, and a round-of-32 fixture in Toronto, Canada, on July 2.

Describing the response as historic, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said:

“Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand – it is a global statement. We thank football fans everywhere for this remarkable response.

“Our goal now is to offer multiple ways for fans to experience the tournament, both inside and outside stadiums, so as many people as possible can be part of this historic event.”

Fans will be notified of the outcome by email no earlier than February 5. Successful and partially successful applicants will be automatically charged.

Supporters who miss out in this phase will have another opportunity during the Last-Minute Sales phase, which will run until the end of the tournament on a first-come, first-served basis.

FIFA also cautioned that possession of a match ticket does not guarantee entry into the host countries, advising fans to apply for visas as early as possible. (BusinessDay)

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