FIFA began notifying fans on February 5, 2026, about the outcomes of its Random Selection Draw for World Cup tickets, following over 500 million applications submitted between December 11, 2025, and January 13, 2026. Successful applicants will receive all requested tickets, while partial successes get some, with automatic charges starting February 9. Unsuccessful fans can try again in upcoming sales phases.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest in history with 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has generated unprecedented demand for tickets. FIFA reported receiving more than 500 million requests during the recent lottery phase, averaging 15 million per day over the 33-day application period. Notifications began arriving via email no earlier than February 5, with fans advised to check inboxes and spam folders and add FIFA's ticketing addresses—no-reply.fwc26@tickets.fifa.org and noreply@mail.tickets.fifa.com—to their safe sender lists.
A successful application means fans secure tickets for every game they applied for, while partially successful ones provide access to some matches. FIFA will automatically charge credit cards for awarded tickets starting February 9. Those who did not succeed face no charges and remain eligible for future opportunities.
The highest demand centered on five matches: Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27 in Miami; Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara; the final on July 19 in New York/New Jersey; the opening match, Mexico vs. South Africa, on June 11 in Mexico City; and a round-of-32 game on July 2 in Toronto. Applications poured in from host nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—plus Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.
For those missing out, the next phase, Last-Minute Sales, opens in early April on a first-come, first-served basis. FIFA's Resale/Exchange Marketplace closes February 22 and reopens April 2. The tournament kicks off June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City with Mexico hosting South Africa at 3 p.m. ET, culminating in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
