The last chance to buy World Cup tickets opens Wednesday with a first-come, first-served sales phase for matches in the U.S., Canada and Mexico beginning in June. Below are five things to know before you try to buy.
1) How the sale works
The “last-minute sales phase” starts at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday and remains open through the tournament’s start. FIFA says it may not offer tickets to every one of the 104 matches and that it can release tickets sporadically for any game at any time.
2) How pricing works
There is no published price list: fans see ticket costs only after logging in. FIFA introduced dynamic pricing this cycle, so some seats have gone up in price while others have dropped. For example, one final-seat tier increased from $2,790 to $4,185 during a previous window. Checks of verified prices also showed decreases for some early matches in San Francisco.
3) Why prices are controversial
Overall ticket costs for 2026 are much higher than in past tournaments. By comparison, top final tickets in Qatar 2022 ran around $1,600; for 2026, some top-tier seats are approaching $9,000. That has drawn political and consumer pushback: Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove requested explanations from FIFA, and European fan/consumer groups filed a complaint with the European Commission alleging nontransparent, high pricing and pressure-selling practices. FIFA says World Cup revenue is reinvested to grow the game globally and has defended its sales approach.
4) Scarcity, perception and FOMO
FIFA reports there are more than 6 million tickets for the tournament and has sold over 3 million so far (excluding premium hospitality packages), but it has not disclosed remaining inventory by match. Ticketing experts and observers say that opaqueness can create a perception of scarcity that drives demand and prices, and that FIFA benefits from keeping detailed inventory private.
5) What fans should do
Stay patient and be diligent. FIFA has continued releasing tickets even after tournaments began in the past, and with 104 matches across three countries there should still be material inventory for many games. Check FIFA’s official ticketing site frequently. If you don’t want to wait, resale markets are available; FIFA is promoting its own resale platform, which charges about a 30% fee. Ticketing analysts note that prices for many high-demand events can fall closer to the event date, so waiting often pays off.
Bottom line: high-profile matches and teams (for example, Argentina or Portugal) will be hardest to get, but seats should remain for many games. Balance urgency with patience, monitor official channels and reputable resellers, and don’t panic.