FIFA initiates the sale of an additional one million tickets for the upcoming World Cup, kicking off the tournament’s second sales phase with a new ticket draw on Monday. The current draw, running until 11 a.m. Eastern on Friday, features a special slot exclusively for residents of the host countries – United States, Canada, and Mexico. Fans from these nations selected in the draw can purchase single-match tickets for games held within their home country.
While the phase is open to all fans worldwide, the focus is on acknowledging the significant interest from both local and global fans for the upcoming tournament, as Canada, Mexico, and the United States gear up to host the largest FIFA World Cup to date, according to Heimo Schirgi, the tournament’s chief operating officer.
Participants from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico who enter the draw before the deadline on Friday stand a chance to secure a time slot, randomly assigned by FIFA, to purchase tickets starting on November 12. The allocated slots will be active until November 15, with winners informed at least 48 hours before their purchasing opportunity.
In the initial ticketing phase, residents of the host countries – the U.S., Canada, and Mexico – led ticket purchases, followed by fans from England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and France. As the domestic exclusivity period concludes, starting on November 17, more fans will become eligible to secure ticket slots, with FIFA planning to release additional tickets in subsequent phases.
Earlier this month, FIFA disclosed that over one million tickets have already been sold for the upcoming World Cup, with individuals from 212 different countries and territories making purchases. To date, 28 out of the 48 team slots for the tournament have been filled.
As the ticket sales progress, several concerns linger for consumers anticipating the tournament, particularly regarding visa requirements for visiting the U.S., given the country’s immigration policies. Recent developments include the relocation of an international friendly match between Argentina and Puerto Rico from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., due to sluggish ticket sales possibly influenced by immigration concerns.
With approximately 7.1 million seats available across 16 North American venues for 104 matches, uncertainties remain about the number of seats open for public sale. Ticket prices vary, with the lowest-priced seats at $60 for numerous matches, while premium seats for the opening U.S. match at Inglewood, Calif., ranged from $560 to $2,735 during the initial sales phase. Notably, resale listings have shown tickets for the same match priced at over $60,000.
Fans purchasing tickets can opt for seats in one of four categories, ranging from Category 1, denoting prime seating, to Category 4 at the upper tiers of stadiums. Ticket pricing is anticipated to fluctuate as dynamic pricing is introduced for the prestigious soccer event.