Two and a half months before the kick-off of the largest World Cup in history, the world association FIFA is putting tickets on the market for what will probably be the last time. Fans have another chance to experience the XXL tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada live in the stadium. But supply is limited, demand is enormous, according to FIFA, and criticism of the prices continues.
What time does the sale start?
The last-minute sales phase is currently the last chance to get World Cup tickets and starts today at 5 p.m. On a first-come, first-served basis, anyone with a FIFA account can purchase tickets for the tournament at www.fifa.com/tickets. “Fans can immediately see which games and categories tickets are available for, can select their seats, complete the purchase and receive a confirmation after payment has been made,” said the world association. From today, people who purchased tickets in previous sales phases will see which seats have been allocated to them.
How many tickets are still for sale?
The world association has not yet provided any information about this. However, FIFA is confident that it will break the attendance record from the 1994 World Cup in the USA. According to the association, a total of 3.5 million fans flocked to the stadiums at that time. And finally, none of the previous World Cups had more games than this time with 104. “During the sales phase with random drawing alone, more than 500 million orders were received,” it said. There is no exact information about how many tickets have been sold so far.
Why is there criticism of the prices?
The prices at which the remaining tickets will be sold were not communicated. Last week, the European consumer organization “Euroconsumers” and “Football Supporters Europe” lodged a complaint with the European Commission against the world association because of high World Cup ticket prices. FIFA is abusing its monopoly position to impose excessive prices and unfair conditions on fans, it said in a press release. Ticket prices have risen significantly compared to the World Cup in Qatar. And: On the secondary market, where FIFA collects 15 percent from the buyer and seller, prices sometimes explode.
What does FIFA say about the criticism?
After the ongoing criticism, the world association introduced a special contingent of tickets for $60 in mid-December 2025. However, the lower prices only apply to a small number of cards. Finally, FIFA emphasized that it reinvests the revenue “to promote the growth of football – men’s, women’s and youth – in the 211 member associations worldwide.” FIFA uses a variable model for ticket sales: the price can change depending on demand.
Is the ticket also a Entry permit?
Game tickets do not grant entry into the host countries. German citizens who enter the country for tourist purposes do not need a visa. However, for the trip to Canada or the USA, an electronic travel authorization must be applied for in advance. For a stay in Canada, the so-called eTA costs seven Canadian dollars per person. The ESTA fee for travel to the USA is US$40 per person.
What about security?
More than a month after the death of a powerful drug lord, the security situation in Mexico and the three host cities of Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara has returned to normal. President Claudia Sheinbaum gave a security guarantee for the World Cup. More than 100,000 soldiers, police officers and private security forces as well as drones and military aircraft are supposed to ensure everything runs smoothly. In the USA, the budget freeze poses significant challenges for venues. Local officials recently warned that sufficient security personnel may not be available if financial resources are not available in time.
Why can fans without tickets also be happy?
Anyone who stays at home can also look forward to public viewing with thousands of fans at night, because the Federal Cabinet has decided on the necessary exceptions to the noise protection rules that normally apply. This means that public broadcasts of games will also be possible after 10 p.m. – if the states in the Federal Council also agree. But that can be assumed. In Germany, night time is the period from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The four most common kick-off times are 9:00 p.m. (19 games), 3:00 a.m. (12 games), 10:00 p.m. (10 games) and midnight (9 games).
When will the German games kick off?
Germany starts the tournament on June 14th in Houston against World Cup debutants Curaçao (7 p.m. CEST). The game continues on June 20th against Ivory Coast (10 p.m. CEST) in Toronto. The group final against Ecuador (10 p.m. CEST) will take place on June 25th in East Rutherford near New York. National coach Julian Nagelsmann wants to announce his World Cup squad on May 12th. Since the 2022 World Cup, the squad limit has been 26 players.
