World Cup 2026 ticket frenzy: Five million requests flood FIFA in 24 hours

Dubai: The 2026 World Cup has already unleashed a global wave of demand, with FIFA confirming it received more than 5 million ticket requests in the first 24 hours of sales.

But the surge in interest comes alongside sharp criticism from fan groups over what they describe as steep and exclusionary pricing.

In a statement released late on Friday, FIFA said it had recorded “extraordinary demand” during the opening day of applications, noting that requests came from 200 regions worldwide.

The largest volume originated from the three host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada, followed by Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama.

Group-stage fixtures have drawn the most intense competition so far, particularly matches featuring global heavyweights and compelling pairings: Colombia vs Portugal, Brazil vs Morocco, Mexico vs South Korea, Ecuador vs Germany, and Scotland vs Brazil.

Ticket applications opened on Thursday and will remain available until January 13, before FIFA allocates seats through a lottery-style process based on quotas. This window is the first opportunity for fans to secure seats since last week’s group-stage draw, which set the tournament’s early matchups.