Copyright phillyvoice
FIFA announced that 1 million tickets to the 2026 World Cup will be made available during a second randomized draw period that began Monday — about a month after the closing of a presale phase that sparked criticism over the process and pricing. Fans from around the world have until 11 a.m. Friday to enter into the lottery system for a chance to be selected to purchase tickets in mid-November. An exclusive time slot for people from the three North American host countries will be available. The tournament will be held from June 11 to July 19, and Lincoln Financial Field will host six matches, including a knockout round game on the Fourth of July. MORE: Road closures planned on 5-mile stretch of I-76 for paving and bridge repairs Randomly selected residents of the U.S., Canada and Mexico who enter before Friday's deadline will get a chance to purchase single-match tickets for games within their country during a priority time slot. Time slots start on Nov. 12 and last for 72 hours. If applicants are chosen, they will receive confirmation at least 48 hours before their time slot opens. A FIFA ID is required to enter the draw, which can be created online. Earlier this month, FIFA announced that over 1 million tickets were purchased during its presale phase, and that residents from the three host countries have received more tickets than any other countries. "We have already seen massive interest from around the world for this tournament, and especially from within the host countries as Canada, Mexico and the United States prepare to host the biggest FIFA World Cup yet," Heimo Schirgi, FIFA World Cup 26 chief operating officer, said in a statement. "This second phase, with its host country domestic exclusivity time slot, will allow us to say thank you to these local fans, while ensuring global opportunity as well." Since that initial ticketing window, soccer's global governing body has received criticism over its dynamic pricing structure, which adjusts the cost according to demand, and exclusive resale website. While some tickets were listed at $60, the Athletic reported that many fans waited for hours in digital queues during the first phase before finding that those tickets were extremely scarce. A group of fans from England, Fans' Embassy, complained about the pricing, estimating that if someone was able to buy tickets in the cheapest category, it would cost over $3,000 to attend every England match if the team made it to the final — more than double what it cost in Qatar in 2022, ESPN reported. Zohran Mamdani, a mayoral candidate in New York City, launched a "Game Over Greed" campaign, claiming that most working class residents in host cities like New York will likely not be able to access a ticket. "What this means is the biggest sporting event in the world is happening in your backyard and you'll be priced out of it," he said in a video posted to X in September. On FIFA's resale platform, the organization is charging both sellers and buyers a 15% fee and some tickets are being sold for more than 10 times the face value, the Athletic said, referencing one ticket to the final that was listed at $25,000 after being sold for $2,030 on the primary market a day earlier. This current ticket window is the second opportunity in a four-phase process. The third will begin shortly after the final draw on Dec. 5, when fans will be able to submit applications for specific games after matchups are confirmed. The remaining tickets will be available in the spring on a first-come, first-served basis.
