If you needed proof that the next FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest stages in all of sports history, look no further: Fans have already submitted more than 150 million ticket requests just halfway through the first sales phase, shattering every previous record.
FIFA has sent out a report with staggering numbers, showing that their “Random Selection Draw” phase – which kicked off on December 11 – has seen applications flood in from fans in over 200 countries.
Enough applications have already been received to allegedly fill the available seats more than 30 times over.
The Random Selection Draw is FIFA’s attempt at a “fair-way lottery” for distributing World Cup tickets, when far more people want them than there are seats available, especially for this massive 2026 tournament that spans Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
Historically speaking, these first-phase ticket requests alone dwarf the total attendance of all 964 previous World Cup matches across the past 22 tournaments held since 1930, by a factor of 3.4.
Imagine every person who has ever sat in a World Cup stadium since the very first one in 1930, add them all up, then multiply that crowd by three and a half — that’s how many ticket requests have already poured in for 2026.
“This overwhelming response from passionate fans is a true representation of how our game is loved globally,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We are going to make history in North America when we bring the world together like never before in a celebration of unity and the best of football.”
For Texans, especially those living in Dallas, the excitement hits especially close to home.
Dallas will be front and center in the new expanded 48-team tournament, hosting a set of matches at AT&T Stadium – temporarily renamed “Dallas Stadium” per FIFA advertising guidelines for the games.
The schedule includes five group-stage games featuring some iconic global powerhouse clubs like the reigning champions – Argentina (playing twice), England, the Netherlands, Japan, Croatia, Austria, Jordan, and a European playoff winner, per FIFA’s current plans.
Running from June 11 to July 19, the tournament will feature 104 matches in total – the highest total in FIFA’s history.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be the greatest and most inclusive show on the planet, with more than 150 million tickets already requested in only the first 15 days, making this edition 30 times oversubscribed – a true showcase of incredible demand,” Infantino added.
The tickets are undeniably among the most in-demand in the history of soccer—or, as most of the world calls it, futbol.
With just a few weeks left in the Random Selection Draw ticketing phase – which closes on January 13, 2026 – fans still have time to jump in and try to catch a ticket to one of the most in-demand soccer matches of all time.
