Unlocking the World Cup 2026: Hidden Ticket Secrets, Visa Presale Dates, and How to Secure Your Spot Before Anyone Else!

Alright, the moment fans have been buzzing about is finally here — the initial wave for grabbing tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially kicking off. This isn’t just any tournament; it’s the 23rd iteration of the globe’s most electrifying soccer extravaganza, and yeah, the stakes are sky-high. Not too long ago, Qatar’s 2022 finals sold a staggering 3.2 million tickets, drumming up a jaw-dropping $686 million in revenue — talk about a spectacle with massive appetite! Now, with the upcoming clash set to unfold across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, ticket fever is expected to hit an all-time high again. We’re talking 104 international matches splattered across 16 cities from mid-June to late July 2026, and the anticipation is palpable. To unravel the whole ticket-buying maze — including crucial timelines and tips to boost your shot at witnessing the magic live — let me walk you through the essentials right here. LEARN MORE

The opening sales phase for the 2026 Fifa World Cup is the first chance for fans to secure tickets for the 23rd edition of the tournament.

Organisers said almost 3.2 million tickets were sold for the 2022 finals in Qatar, generating $686 million in revenue.

Tickets for the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico are certain to be hugely popular again, featuring 104 international matches across 16 cities between June 11 and July 19 2026.

101GreatGoals.com explains the process for buying World Cup 2026 tickets, including key sales dates and how supporters can give themselves the best chance of being at the finals.

World Cup tickets 2026: When does the sale start?

The application window opens on September 10 2025 and runs until September 19 2025, starting and finishing at the same time of 11:00 ET, 08:00 PT and 17:00 CET, which is 16:00 BST.

Fifa say there will be additional opportunities to buy in later sales phases but tickets will not be available in person at stadiums.

Fifa World Cup tickets prices and cost

The cheapest tickets will start at $60, which is around 51 euros or £44. The most expensive tickets for the final start at $6,730, which is around 5,730 euros or £5,760.

There are four categories of tickets alongside accessibility options.

Fifa tickets: World Cup 2026 options

Fifa say single match tickets will be available in every category for every match in all sales phases.

Venue-specific tickets are a multiple-ticket package that includes one ticket for several matches scheduled at a stadium, with fans advised to review the list of matches before buying.

Those include all group stage matches at the selected venue, as well as the first knockout stage match at that stadium – either a round of 32 or round of 16 game – where applicable, with the exception of Guadalajara.

Venue-specific tickets don’t include the opening match in each host country or games from the quarter-finals onwards.

Team-specific packages offer one ticket to each of the chosen team’s three group stage games but don’t include any knockout stage matches.

Visa presale draw World Cup tickets

The first phase of sales is known as the Visa presale draw and is open to people with a valid, unexpired Visa debit card, credit card or reloadable prepaid card enabled with 3D Secure.

To apply, fans should visit Fifa’s ticketing page , click on the person icon in the top right corner of the page and select the sign up option.

Supporters should then enter their personal details, create a password and agree to the terms and conditions.

A confirmation email then provides a link to verify an account. Registrants must be aged at least 13 and ticket buyers must be at least 18.

Fifa Visa presale: What happens next?

Following a random selection process, Fifa will start notifying fans of the results of their applications no earlier than September 29 2025.

Applicants will then be given a date and time slot to buy available tickets.

World Cup ticket lottery: Times, dates

Time slots to buy tickets will start from October 1. Successful applicants can expect a notification up to 48 hours before their designated time.

From seating plans to travel visa requirements, more details are available on Fifa’s 2026 World Cup FAQ pages.

When is the World Cup 2026? Schedule, dates

The 2026 Fifa World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams and take place in three countries.

While the Qatar edition took place in November and December, the 2026 tournament will return to the traditional period in which the World Cup has started since it was inaugurally held in 1930.

The opening match will take place on Thursday, June 11, with the group stage running until June 27. The round of 32 will start on June 29 and end on July 3, followed by last-16 matches between July 4 and July 7.

The quarter-finals will be held between July 9 and July 11, and the final will be decided by semi-finals on July 14 and 15. A third-place play-off takes place on July 18.

Argentina will hope to defend the title they won in 2022, beating France on penalties in the final in a game featuring a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick for Les Bleus and two Lionel Messi goals for the champions.

Where is the World Cup 2026?

A total of 16 stadiums will host games, welcoming teams from qualifying groups covering Asia, Africa, South America, Oceania, Europe, North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The 11 host cities are Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Boston and New York New Jersey, where the final will be played.

Mexico City’s Azteca will stage the opening match. The Mexican headquarters will be in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City and the Canadian venues are Vancouver and Toronto.

World Cup 2026 format

The initial stage has been enlarged from 16 groups of three teams to 12 groups of four nations, increasing the number of games for countries going all the way from seven to eight matches.

The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will reach the round of 32.