Second phase of FIFA World Cup ticket draw opens soon

Soccer fans now have another opportunity to secure seats for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the second phase of ticket sales has begun; Atlanta News First reported on the latest developments in the ticketing process. Anyone with a FIFA ID can participate in this lottery-based system, and those without an account can still create one to enter the draw before the deadline on Friday, Oct. 31. The entry period started on Monday, Oct. 27, giving fans a five-day window to submit their applications for a chance to purchase tickets. Atlanta News First noted that the lowest-priced tickets are set at $60 and are available for at least 40 matches, though most seats carry significantly higher price tags.

Special priority for host countries

The Early Ticket Draw phase makes one million additional tickets available following strong demand during the previous Visa Presale Draw, according to Inside FIFA's announcement about the sales structure. Fans who already participated in the earlier presale round must enter this new draw separately, as previous entries do not automatically carry over to this phase.

Inside FIFA explains that the timing of when someone enters the lottery during the five-day window will not affect their chances of being selected. A special feature of this phase includes a domestic priority period for residents of the three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Starting Nov. 12, selected fans from these nations will have a 72-hour exclusive window to purchase tickets for matches taking place within their own country, with 75% of available tickets reserved for this domestic period.

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The previous ticket phase showed massive interest from host country residents, who purchased more tickets than buyers from any other nation. England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and France followed as the top international markets. Inside FIFA states that over one million tickets were sold during the first phase, demonstrating the enormous global appetite for the tournament.

High prices not deterring fans

Winners from the lottery will receive purchase notifications starting in mid-November through early December, Fox 4 News details, regarding the timeline for successful applicants. The lottery system covers all 104 matches scheduled across 16 different venues in the three host countries. Fox 4 News points out that this represents the third overall ticket offering from FIFA and the second opportunity for single-match purchases, following an August release of hospitality packages and a September presale limited to Visa cardholders. Despite widespread criticism about high costs, the dynamic pricing strategy has not stopped eager fans from applying, as evidenced by the one million applications received during the Visa presale.