Gianni Infantino
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has declared that all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup are effectively “sold out,” despite tickets still being available ahead of the tournament’s June 11 kickoff.
Speaking to CNBC from U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Infantino pointed to unprecedented global demand for the expanded competition. According to him, FIFA received 508 million ticket requests within four weeks for approximately seven million available seats.
He added that applications during the main sales window in January came from more than 200 countries, describing the level of interest as unparalleled. FIFA has, however, reserved a portion of tickets for a final sales phase scheduled to begin in April and run through the tournament’s conclusion on July 19.
Addressing concerns from supporters’ groups over soaring ticket prices, Infantino noted that dynamic pricing — particularly in the United States — means costs can fluctuate based on demand.
He also highlighted the existence of official resale platforms, where secondary market activity can further drive up prices.
The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the first to feature 48 teams. Infantino projected revenues of more than $11 billion, pledging that all proceeds would be reinvested into football development across FIFA’s 211 member associations.
He also estimated the event could inject around $30 billion into the U.S. economy, attract up to 30 million tourists, and generate approximately 185,000 full-time jobs.
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