More than 150 million ticket requests for the World Cup in December alone, high prices and criticism: what fans need to know before an important deadline.
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- The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in around 150 days and time is running out for fans who want to be there live in the arena. The third sales phase runs until January 13 at 5 pm.
- Fans from Switzerland can register for the random draw at fifa.com/tickets. For the first time, individual tickets will be available for specific matches and teams in the group stage.
- There will be at least a fourth phase in which football fans can apply for tickets. However, the time frame for this is not yet known.
In around 150 days, Mexico and South Africa will kick off the World Cup in the legendary Azteca Stadium. For fans who want to be there live in the arena, time is running out: tickets are already on sale and an important application period ends this Tuesday. The most important questions about buying tickets are answered here:
Can I still apply for tickets?
Yes, the third sales phase runs until January 13 at 5 p.m. and fans from Switzerland can register for the random draw at FIFA.com/tickets. For the first time, individual tickets are available for specific matches and teams in the group stage. Fans who do not yet have a FIFA ID must first create an account on the ticket website. The lucky ones in the random selection process will be notified by e-mail in the coming weeks. They will be informed of a time slot in which they can purchase tickets.
Will the sale continue?
Yes, there will be at least a fourth phase in which football fans can apply for tickets. However, FIFA has not yet announced a specific time window. Apparently, a further sales phase is planned for the end of February or beginning of March. Whether this will be the last ticket phase remains to be seen.
Who will Switzerland play and where?
Switzerland will face Qatar in San Francisco on June 13, a European qualifier (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina) in Los Angeles on June 18 and co-hosts Canada in Vancouver on June 24.
Why is FIFA being criticized?
FIFA had advertised that tickets were already available for 60 US dollars. The only problem is that the green areas, which represent this price category four, are negligible in the World Cup stadiums. And: on the secondary market, where FIFA collects 15 percent each from buyers and sellers, ticket prices sometimes explode. Fan organizations criticize the prices, which have also risen significantly compared to the World Cup in Qatar.
Fans with disabilities in particular feel disadvantaged. "People with disabilities already have to bear unavoidable additional costs for transportation, accommodation, equipment and personal care. In contrast, tickets for the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar cost 10 US dollars and included a free companion ticket," wrote the fan alliance Football Supporters Europe (FSE) in an open letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
How is FIFA reacting to the allegations?
FIFA announced a new ticket price category for "loyal fans" during the current sales phase in response to worldwide protests against the high prices. "The new basic tier for fans is available at a fixed price of 60 US dollars per ticket and match for all 104 matches, including the final," the association announced. Basic tier tickets are intended for fans of qualified teams.
The international fan association Football Supporters Europe had welcomed the introduction of the 60-dollar ticket, but criticized the number of tickets as being too low.
What does this mean for tickets in the Swiss fan block?
For Switzerland, like all other teams, eight percent of the tickets per match are available for its own fan block. According to FIFA, ten percent of these tickets will be in the new basic tier.
How high is the global demand?
The criticism of the high prices does not deter many fans. In the third sales phase alone, there had been requests for over 150 million tickets by half-time, according to the world governing body. This means that there were 30 times more requests than tickets available in this phase. FIFA spoke of the highest demand in the history of the World Cup - with 48 participating teams and 104 matches, it is also the biggest World Cup.
