Want to get tickets to the 2026 World Cup? Here’s everything you need to know

Tickets for next year’s FIFA World Cup will use dynamic pricing, meaning fans will pay different prices according to demand.

Those keen to go to the tournament, which is being hosted across the US, Mexico and Canada in 2026, had their first chance to get a limited number of tickets in October.

In total, over six million tickets for the 104 games are set to become available.

And with dynamic pricing, also known as surge pricing, involved, Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s chief operating officer, has warned fans to “get tickets as early as possible”.

FIFA has already issued a warning to fans to be “wary” of unofficial websites purportedly selling tickets that aren’t yet on the market, after Sky News discovered tickets already being sold for eye-watering prices by the platform Vivid Seats.

Here’s all you need to know.

When is the World Cup?

The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will be played at 11 sites in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada.

A total of 48 countries will be involved and 104 games will be played overall.

The host nations automatically qualify and will play all three of their group stage matches on home soil.

How to get tickets

Tickets for the World Cup are being released in three phases, each with slightly different rules on who can buy the tickets and how.

Phase one

The first phase was a Visa Presale Draw for people with a valid, unexpired Visa debit card, credit card, or reloadable prepaid card enabled with 3D Secure.

This phase has already closed, with no further opportunities to buy tickets in this phase.

Phase two

The entry period for the second phase, called an early ticket draw, ran from 27 to 31 October.

Similar to the first phase, registered individuals were allocated time slots to purchase tickets from 12 November.

If you miss your assigned time slot to purchase tickets, it cannot be rescheduled.

Phase three

The third phase, called a random selection draw, will start after the final draw of teams on 5 December determines the World Cup schedule.

FIFA said tickets will also become available closer to the tournament on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hospitality tickets

Hospitality tickets have been on sale since May for the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on 19 July.

These allow individuals access into VIP lounges, the option to hire private suites and exclusive “platinum access” tickets, which FIFA defines as an “all-encompassing experience with full-service customisation”.

American Airlines also announced in October that members of its AAdvantage loyalty programme can redeem miles for World Cup tickets.

What type of tickets are available?

Three different types of tickets will be available during different phases of ticket sales. These include:

• Single match tickets – includes one entry to any of the 104 matches in the tournament.
• Venue-specific tickets – includes tickets to several matches scheduled at a particular stadium, except the opening match in each host country or any quarter, semi or final matches.
• Team-specific tickets – includes tickets to each of a chosen team’s three group stage matches.

Single match tickets and team-specific tickets will be available in all sale phases, while venue-specific tickets will be available ahead of the final draw.

How much will they cost?

Prices for group stage matches during the Visa presale started at $60 (£44), with later stage matches, including the final, reaching up to $6,730 (£5,000), FIFA said.

This is an increase from a range of $25 (£19) to $475 (£353) the last time the US hosted the tournament in 1994. For the 2022 tournament in Qatar, tickets cost the US dollar equivalent of $69 to $1,607.

Prices for hospitality tickets are considerably more, ranging from $3,500 (£2,604) to $73,200 (£54,467) per person.

FIFA has also introduced a virtual marketplace, where ticket holders can resell or exchange their tickets securely.

The FIFA Resale Marketplace is available to Canadian, American and international residents, while the FIFA Exchange Marketplace is intended for residents of Mexico.

Falk Eller, director of ticketing and hospitality at FIFA, said resale prices would not be capped, due to a need to compete with unofficial resale outlets and ensure a regulated environment.

The problem (or perk) with dynamic pricing

Dynamic pricing is commonly seen when purchasing plane or train tickets and hotel room rates during holiday seasons.

But backlash over its use escalated when tickets for the Oasis Live ’25 tour went on sale last August.

Fans who had waited for hours in a virtual queue were left fuming to find out standard tickets, originally worth £148, were being sold at a dynamic pricing level of £355 on Ticketmaster.

Criticism was so widespread that it led to the Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill being put forward in the House of Commons, which, if passed, would require music and sports ticket sellers to tell fans the maximum prices at the start of the buying process by law.

Ticketmaster says the goal of dynamic pricing is to “give fans fair and safe access to tickets true to market value” and because it is based on demand, the price of tickets does not always increase.

Dynamic pricing was used for this year’s controversial Club World Cup, which also took place in the US, but it was a struggle to fill the mammoth state-side stadiums, including some which will be used for the World Cup.

As a result, for the semi-final between London’s Chelsea and Brazil’s Fluminense, tickets were cut from $473.90 (£352) to $13.40 (£10). Similar dramatic drops were seen for both teams’ quarter-final matches, where tickets went for as low as $11.15 (£8.30).

What about visas?

For those outside the US, Canada or Mexico, securing tickets is not enough to guarantee you will be at World Cup games.

People travelling to the US or Canada will need to secure visas in order to make it to the tournament. Most tourists do not need a visa to travel to Mexico.

For example, if travelling from the UK to America, Britons will need an ESTA for visits under 90 days, or a B-2 visa for longer stays.

From the UK to Canada, Britons will typically need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), which allows visits for up to six months.

FIFA has warned that any ticket holder who fails to obtain the necessary visa or travel authorisation, or is denied entry due to non-compliance with any requirements, will not be entitled to any form of compensation.

Donald Trump announced in November that those who need visas to attend the World Cup will be able to go through a “FIFA portal” to help get their visa application and interview prioritised at the State Department.

This will be known as the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System, or FIFA PASS.

Read more from Sky News:
England qualify for 2026 World Cup
Warning to UK fans travelling to World Cup

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration had added 400 consular officers around the world to deal with increased demand for visas, with individuals still having to go through the same vetting, but will “move up the queue” in order to get correct travel documents in place on time for the tournament.

Despite the new system, Mr Trump said he “strongly” encourages World Cup travellers to the US to apply for their visas “right away”.