FIFA, football’s global governing body, has revealed that it received over 500 million ticket requests for this year’s World Cup, despite criticism over the high cost of attending the tournament.
In a statement released on Wednesday, January 14, FIFA said fans from all 211 of its member associations submitted applications for tickets to the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The ticket lottery application period closed on Tuesday, with successful applicants expected to be notified no earlier than February 5.
Outside the host countries, the strongest demand came from fans in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.
The most requested match was Colombia’s group-stage game against Portugal in Miami on June 27, followed by Mexico versus South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, and the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19.
“Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand — it’s a global statement,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “I would like to thank and congratulate football fans everywhere for this extraordinary response. Our only regret is that we cannot welcome every fan inside the stadiums.”
FIFA has faced criticism over its ticket pricing for the expanded 48-team World Cup, with supporters’ groups calling the costs “extortionate” and “astronomical.” Football Supporters Europe noted that prices are nearly five times higher than those at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In response, FIFA introduced a lower-priced ticket category in December, costing $60 (51 euros) each.