The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and fans are already lining up for their chance to attend the biggest sporting event in the world. But getting tickets isn’t as simple as logging in and clicking “buy.” FIFA uses a structured, multi-phase process with lotteries, presales, and last-minute sales that fans need to navigate carefully. Here’s a complete guide on how to secure your seats.
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Ticket Purchase Options
- Official Presale Phases
The first opportunity to secure tickets comes during the Visa Presale Draw, running from Sept. 10–19, 2025. Fans enter a lottery, but there’s a catch: you must use a Visa card (credit, debit, or prepaid) to participate. Winners will be randomly selected and assigned a date and time in October to purchase tickets, subject to availability.
After this phase, a similar Early Ticket Draw will open — this time without the Visa card requirement.
- Post-World Cup Draw Sales
Once the World Cup draw takes place on Dec. 5, 2025, and teams, dates, and venues are set, FIFA will launch another lottery phase. This is the first opportunity to buy tickets for specific matchups.
- Last-Minute Sales
In spring 2026, any remaining tickets will be sold in a first-come, first-served phase. This works like most other major sporting events in the U.S. but comes with fierce competition.
- Resale Market
FIFA will operate its own official resale platform through its website and app, which will likely be the safest secondary market option. Popular resale platforms like StubHub are already advertising tickets, but FIFA’s no-price-cap policy may keep most buyers and sellers within its ecosystem.
- Hospitality Packages
For fans looking for premium experiences, FIFA’s hospitality packages — which include tickets and perks — are already on sale. Expect prices to be in the thousands of dollars per person.
- National Federation Allocations
Each participating country’s soccer federation (such as U.S. Soccer or the English FA) will receive an allocation of tickets for their matches. These are distributed separately to registered fans through the federations’ own processes. FIFA also confirmed that special “supporter” tickets and conditional supporter tickets (seats reserved for a team’s potential knockout matches) will be available closer to the tournament.
- Volunteer Opportunities
If you’d rather work than pay, FIFA’s volunteer program offers a chance to be part of the event behind the scenes — though you won’t be in the stands as a traditional spectator.
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Key Ticket Dates
- Sept. 10–19, 2025: Visa Presale Draw (lottery entry phase)
- October 2025: Visa lottery winners purchase tickets
- Oct. 27–Dec. 2025: Non-Visa lottery phase with purchase slots into November and December
- Dec. 5, 2025: World Cup draw (teams, dates, and venues finalized)
- Spring 2026: First-come, first-served sales phase
Until the draw, fans will essentially be buying tickets to matches without knowing the specific teams involved — except for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, whose schedules as co-hosts are already set.
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Final Thoughts
With demand expected to be sky-high, securing World Cup tickets will take patience, persistence, and maybe some luck. Whether you try your hand at the lotteries, opt for premium hospitality packages, or wait until the last-minute sales, now is the time to start planning.
The 2026 World Cup promises to be the biggest ever, and tickets will be one of the most sought-after items in sports.
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