At a Glance
- FIFA has received 500 million ticket requests for the 2025 World Cup
- Prices range from $60 to $8,680 per ticket
- Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27 is the most sought-after match
- Why it matters: Fans face a lottery system as demand dwarfs supply
FIFA announced Wednesday it has been overwhelmed by more than 500 million ticket requests for this year’s World Cup, forcing the organization to implement a random-allocation lottery for oversubscribed matches.
The staggering demand emerged during the third sales phase, which closed Tuesday, and has set up a scramble among fans for seats at the 48-team tournament hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Record-Breaking Demand
The figure dwarfs previous tournaments and means that, on average, every one of the tournament’s matches has received millions more requests than available seats.
Jordan M. Lewis reported that the most-requested single game is the Colombia vs. Portugal group-stage clash on June 27 at Miami Gardens, Florida. The other top draws:
- Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico
- The final on July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey
- The opener between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City
- A second-round match on July 2 in Toronto
Pricing Backlash
FIFA’s pricing strategy has fueled criticism. Seats carry face values of up to $8,680, prompting accusations that the organization is pricing out ordinary supporters.
Under pressure, FIFA pledged last month to release $60 tickets for every fixture. Those reduced-price seats will be handed to each of the 48 competing national federations, which will decide how to distribute them among fans who attended their teams’ qualifying matches.
Geographic Breakdown
Outside the host nations, the highest number of applications have come from:
- Germany
- England
- Brazil
- Spain
- Portugal
- Argentina
- Colombia
The data signals the tournament’s global pull, with European and South American nations dominating foreign demand.
Notification Timeline
Applicants will not learn their fate until at least February 5, FIFA confirmed. After that date, the organization will begin notifying successful buyers. For matches where requests exceed capacity, allocation will be random.
Gianni Infantino, president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association, has yet to comment publicly on the unprecedented demand.
Key Takeaways
- 500 million requests set a new benchmark for World Cup ticket demand
- Top-tier seats cost $8,680, while $60 options exist via federations
- Colombia vs. Portugal in Miami Gardens is the hottest ticket
- Fans must wait until February 5 or later for results
