.png)
FIFA has hailed “extraordinary” demand for tickets to the 2026 World Cup, but early figures from the latest sales phase are likely to heighten concerns over access, affordability and growing commercialisation of the tournament.
According to world football’s governing body, five million ticket requests were submitted within the first 24 hours of the Random Selection Draw, with fans from more than 200 countries and territories competing for seats at the expanded 48-team event, which will be staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States next summer. The scale of demand underscores the widening gap between global interest in the World Cup and the limited number of tickets realistically available to supporters.
High-profile group-stage matches have dominated applications, led by Colombia v Portugal in Miami, with fixtures involving Brazil, Mexico, Germany and Scotland also among the most requested. The concentration of demand around a small number of blockbuster games raises the likelihood that many fans will miss out entirely, despite FIFA’s claims that timing within the application window does not influence selection.
While the three host nations unsurprisingly account for the largest share of ticket requests, FIFA pointed to strong interest from South America and Europe as evidence of the tournament’s global appeal. Critics, however, have warned that the World Cup’s spread across three countries and dozens of venues risks favouring wealthier fans who can afford travel, accommodation and increasingly expensive tickets.
The surge in Scottish applications, driven by the national team’s first appearance at a men’s World Cup in 28 years, highlights the emotional pull of the event. Yet for many supporters, that excitement may be short-lived, with resale markets and hospitality packages often pricing out ordinary fans long before tickets reach general sale.
FIFA continues to promote premium hospitality, all-inclusive travel deals and resale options alongside the draw, reinforcing concerns that commercial offerings are being prioritised over affordable access. Successful applicants will also have their payment cards automatically charged, a process that has previously drawn criticism from fans who say it limits transparency and flexibility.
Despite describing itself as a not-for-profit organisation that reinvests revenues into football development, FIFA’s record-breaking demand figures arrive amid ongoing scrutiny of its financial practices and the rapid expansion of the World Cup format. With six months still to go before the opening match, millions of fans may already be facing the reality that the world’s biggest football tournament is becoming increasingly difficult to attend in person.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / aman ansari, Unsplash / My Profit Tutor
.jpg)
