The full schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was released last week, revealing every group-stage clash among the expanded 48-team field. With the fixtures now public, fans finally know when and where global heavyweights like Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain will play—and can plan accordingly. FIFA has also clarified how many tickets an individual can buy per match and across the tournament as ticket sales enter a crucial new phase.
FIFA officially opened Phase Three of ticket sales on Thursday, allowing supporters to apply for tickets to specific matches for the first time.
FIFA Introduces Match-Specific Ticket Draw
In this third sales window, fans can now apply for tickets through a random selection draw, rather than buying blindly. This follows the publication of the official draw and match schedule on December 6 for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Previously, ticket applications were made without knowing the fixtures, as qualification and group placements were still being finalized. Now, with group positions confirmed, fans can even anticipate potential knockout matchups.
For instance, if Argentina and Portugal both top their groups, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could face each other in a blockbuster quarterfinal clash in Kansas City.
However, FIFA has made it clear that applying does not guarantee success. The draw window will remain open from December 11 at 11:00 a.m. (ET) until January 13, 2026.
“𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒘, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏,” 𝑭𝑰𝑭𝑨 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔.
Ticket Limits, Prices, and Fan Backlash
FIFA has also set strict limits on ticket purchases. Using a single FIFA ID, a household can apply for up to four tickets per match and a maximum of 40 tickets for the entire tournament. Applicants must choose both the match and price category in advance. Successful fans will be notified by email in February, with payments automatically processed.
Ticket pricing has already sparked controversy. While the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, with tickets priced between $25 and $475, and Qatar 2022 ranged from $70 to $1,600, prices for 2026 appear significantly higher.
The German Football Association has published group-stage ticket prices ranging from $180 to $700, while final-match tickets could cost between $4,185 and $8,680. This contrasts sharply with FIFA’s earlier indication that group-stage tickets would start at $60 and final tickets at $5,730—figures now subject to change under a dynamic pricing system.
“𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔,” 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑬𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏.
Meanwhile, FIFA has launched an official resale platform, charging a 15 percent fee on resold tickets. Any remaining tickets will be released later through general sales on a first-come, first-served basis, though FIFA has yet to announce a timeline for that phase.
As anticipation builds for football’s biggest spectacle, ticket availability—and affordability—remain major talking points for fans worldwide.
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