How to Buy World Cup 2026 Tickets

FIFA's random selection draw accepts applications through January 13th at 11 a.m. ET. This is not a first-come, first-served system. Applicants choose specific matches, FIFA enters their name into a digital hat, and in February they get an email that either includes tickets or exudes disappointment. I guess it’s the fairest possible system with so much demand.

To enter, log in at fifa.com/tickets, pick your matches, select seating categories (up to 4 tickets each), and check the box accepting a downgrade if your category sells out. Don’t sleep on the downgrade. Checking the box is the difference between getting bumped from Category 1 to Category 2 versus getting nothing, zilch, nada.

So far, over 20 million people have entered. Your odds improve dramatically for group stage matches nobody cares about (Haiti vs. teams you can't locate on a map) and plummet for anything involving the U.S., Mexico, or teams that have actually won something.

Group stage: $60-$550 depending on seats and who's playing Knockout rounds: $150-$1,200 Semifinals: $300-$2,500 Final: $2,000-$6,730

Dynamic pricing means popular matches cost more. The U.S. opener in Los Angeles will hit the high-end, tuesday afternoon group stage match between two teams fighting for 47th place might actually be affordable.

FIFA announced $60 "supporter tickets" for every match after fans revolted over pricing. Here's what they didn't emphasize: these go exclusively to national soccer federations who distribute them to their most loyal supporters—people with season tickets who've flown to away matches in countries most Americans can't pronounce.

For the U.S. opening match, roughly 400-500 of these exist in a 70,000-seat stadium. For the final, each competing nation gets about 450 tickets at $60. If you're reading this article to figure out how to buy tickets, you're not getting one of these. They're for people whose passport stamps look like a geography textbook.

Starting at $1,350 per person for single matches and climbing past $5,000 for multi-match packages, hospitality guarantees entry plus premium food, lounge access, and the satisfaction of not fighting crowds for bathroom access.

No lottery, no waiting, just immediate confirmation and the realization that you could've bought a used car instead. Available now at fifa.com/tickets .

FIFA's official resale platform lists verified tickets with 15% fees to both buyers and sellers, which explains why a U.S. match starts at $1,500 and climbs to upwards of $100,000 for premium seats. The final starts at $12,000 per seat. One Atlanta semifinal ticket is listed at $214,000 plus a $32,000 "facilitation fee.” Apparently, “facilitating” is very expensive.

Third-party sites like StubHub list tickets starting around $158 for matches nobody wants, averaging $2,500-$3,000 overall. FIFA doesn't guarantee these; counterfeit tickets mean watching security escort you away from the stadium while explaining what a digital QR code is.

The resale market fluctuates. Unsexy matchups drop in price as games approach. Knockout rounds increase. If you're flexible about which match you attend and don't need to see your team, waiting for unpopular games to drop might work. If you want the U.S. or any elimination round, prepare your credit card for trauma.

World Cup tickets cost between "more than expected" and "start a GoFundMe." The lottery is your best shot at reasonable prices. The resale market works if you've budgeted aggressively, and hospitality packages exist for people who've accepted that it's a once in a lifetime type deal.

Submit your applications by January 13th, cross your fingers, and wait. It's the World Cup in North America, the next one won't happen here until you're telling your grandchildren about the time you almost went to a match but the tickets cost too much.