The highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket lottery launched on September 10th, 2025, with a chaotic Visa presale phase that left many fans frustrated. The initial phase, exclusive to Visa cardholders, was plagued by extensive wait times and error messages, despite FIFA's assurances that application timing wouldn't affect the lottery results. Thousands of eager fans found themselves trapped in digital waiting rooms, some for over an hour, only to encounter error messages preventing entry.
While FIFA attributed the issues to "extraordinary" demand, the experience highlighted significant technical challenges with their ticketing system. Social media erupted with complaints from users who reported lengthy queues, countdown timers that never appeared, and "HTTP Status 400 — Bad Request" errors. Many expressed concerns that the process was excessively convoluted and unclear, further adding to their frustration.
The lottery, offering approximately 1 million tickets (around 15% of the total inventory), operates in phases. The Visa presale concludes September 19th, after which a similar early bird draw opens to the general public. The subsequent phases will involve a post-draw lottery with potentially dynamic pricing, influenced by team popularity and demand, and finally, a first-come, first-served sale in Spring 2026. All phases are subject to ticket availability, and the most sought-after tickets are likely to be snapped up early.
Ticket prices remain largely undisclosed, with only a few exceptions like the starting price of Category 1 tickets for the final ($6,730) and Category 4 tickets for group stage matches ($60). FIFA’s variable pricing strategy aims to maximize revenue, with prices potentially fluctuating across phases based on team popularity. The organization is also launching its own resale platform to compete with third-party ticket resellers.
Another element of contention is FIFA's 'Right To Buy' (RTB) tokens, sold earlier for hundreds of dollars each, granting holders preferential access. While FIFA claims this strategy tested demand and informed pricing, it has generated millions in revenue and raised concerns about fairness and transparency for fans who spent significant sums on these tokens.
The 2026 World Cup, spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and featuring 48 teams, presents an unprecedented logistical challenge. The chaotic launch of the ticket lottery underscores the need for FIFA to refine its ticketing process for a smoother experience in future phases and to ensure fairer access to tickets for all fans.
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Originally published at: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6616251/2025/09/10/2026-fifa-world-cup-ticket-lottery-wait-time/
