MIAMI (AP) — Not even half of the 48-team field in the group stage has been claimed. The schedule for matches won’t be finalized until December. And aside from the host nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico, no one knows where or when they will play.
Millions of soccer fans around the world evidently don’t care about any of those points.
Tickets for the FIFA World Cup next year will go on sale officially on Wednesday. The buyers will be those selected, from among 4.5 million applicants in a drawing held last month, to have the first formal opportunity to purchase tickets in the coming days. FIFA said the winners have been, or will soon be, notified by email.
There are unique questions for consumers heading to the tournament, particularly about how they will obtain visas, if required, to visit the United States while the country tightens its immigration policy. There are also more traditional concerns about who, when and where, and none of those questions will be answered until the December 5 draw. FIFA knows that many fans won’t worry about those answers; they simply want the tickets now and will figure out the rest later.
“These are not only extraordinary figures, but also a resounding statement,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on social media in response to the 4.5 million applicants for a seat in the ticket-buying window that opened on Wednesday. “Everybody wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the biggest, most inclusive and exciting event in history. From Canada, Mexico and the United States, to large and small nations on every continent, fans are proving once again that the passion for soccer truly unites.”
In divided times, the notion of soccer being something that “truly unites” will be put to the test.
Here are a few things you should know as tickets go on sale:
What is on sale?
Fans can buy seats in one of four categories; Category 1 are the best seats, Category 4 sits toward the upper tier of the stadiums. Ticket prices will initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final, but they could—and almost certainly will—change as the world’s biggest soccer event uses dynamic pricing for the first time.
There are other ways to snag tickets without laying out large sums of money. American Airlines announced last month that members of its AAdvantage loyalty program can redeem miles for World Cup tickets, starting October 13 for Executive Platinum and ConciergeKey members, then October 14 for Platinum Pro, Platinum, and Gold members, followed on October 15 by all members.
And beginning Thursday, some Verizon customers will have access to free World Cup tickets and other perks. The telecom giant is a World Cup sponsor and will simply begin offering opportunities for free tickets to its customers through its app.
“For me, there are few things as thrilling as watching soccer live, whether on the field or off it, and that’s why I’m proud to partner with Verizon to celebrate their plans to give fans unprecedented access to the tournament,” said soccer icon David Beckham, part of Verizon’s push for the World Cup.
Who’s in?
The United States, Mexico and Canada qualified automatically as host nations. Also on the list so far: defending champion Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea, Brazil, Australia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Tunisia, Colombia, Paraguay and Morocco.
That leaves 30 spots still unclaimed.
FIFA said fans from 216 countries and territories applied to be part of the first ticket draw. The three nations with the most interest, unsurprisingly, were the hosts: the United States, Mexico and Canada, in that order. The rest of the top ten, also by total requests: Germany, England, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Spain and Italy.
No one has said how many tickets FIFA plans to sell in this first window. Availability will not sell out; based on listed stadium attendance figures, there are roughly 7.1 million seats to fill across the 104 matches in 16 North American venues, though it’s unclear how many of those seats will be available for public sale.
Will visitors travel to the United States?
There is a tightening immigration push underway across the United States, which could dampen foreign interest in traveling to the country. U.S. tourism officials have already noted a drop in foreign visitors this year, and organizers in several U.S. host cities have acknowledged that political dynamics could affect attendance.
Adding to the uncertainty, President Donald Trump, who has a close relationship with Infantino, has suggested host cities could be shifted if he wants to move certain events away from places his administration deems unsafe.
The American host cities listed are East Rutherford, New Jersey; Inglewood, California; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Houston; Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; Seattle; Santa Clara, California; Philadelphia; Kansas City, Missouri; and Miami Gardens, Florida.
“If we think any city is even a little dangerous for the World Cup… we will not allow it to go there,” Trump said last week. “We’ll move it a little. But I hope that won’t happen.”
The State Department says that “the safety of the United States” along with “the World Cup matches, the athletes, the fans and the venues” are the top priorities in its role in the World Cup process. It also suggests that travelers who need a visa should begin applying now, and officials have said the United States is working to ensure an efficient, smooth and effective visa process.
What’s next?
A second phase, called an Early Ticket Draw, is likely to run from October 27–31, with purchase windows from mid-November to early December. A third phase, dubbed the Random Selection Draw, will begin after the final team draw on December 5, which will determine the World Cup schedule.
Tickets will also be available closer to the tournament on a first-come basis. FIFA also said it will launch an official resale platform.
Some tickets have already been sold; hospitality packages have been sold since May.
“The world will come together in North America,” Infantino promised, “like never before.”
The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19.
