From Click to Kickoff
The FIFA World Cup is the biggest football celebration… ever. Hosted every 4 years, and with millions of fans ready to enjoy the action, you can imagine getting tickets isn’t the easiest of feats. Before you can chant in the stands rooting for your team, you’ve got to conquer the ticketing game… and trust me, it’s a game of its own.
Fortunately, getting tickets isn’t just about luck (although it is a big factor). It’s also about strategy, timing, and a little bit of hustle. With this guide, you’ll get closer to understanding the process and boost your chances of snagging those golden tickets.
In our previous post, we discussed some of the basic information: where to buy, when to buy, ticket categories, and an estimation of what pricing could look like. Make sure you have read it before continuing.
Ticket Products
Knowing what you are buying is the first step to preparing for your ticket hunt.
Every edition of the tournament has had improvements and/or additions to the ticket products made available for purchase. The list below includes the 4 main options that have been consistently offered in FIFA’s ticketing portal in the last few years.
- Individual Match Tickets (IMT) – Pick specific games where you can choose which match you want to attend.
These tickets offer the most flexibility as you can pick and choose the location and which match to purchase tickets for. - Venue Specific Tickets (VST) – Stay in one city and catch all the action there.
This is the most convenient option in terms of traveling schedule as it allows you to attend all matches played in the selected stadium; however, it is also less flexibility as you can’t chose which teams to watch. - Team Specific Tickets (TST) – Follow your favorite team through the group stage and beyond. Historically you could purchase the TST tickets in multiple varieties as shown below; but keep in mind this will slightly change as The FIFA World Cup 2026 will host a round-of-32 for the first time in history.
- TST3: includes tickets for all 3 group stage matches played by the selected team.
- TST4: includes tickets for all 3 group stage matches played by the selected team, plus the round-of-16 match. Should the selected team not qualify, tickets for subsequent matches are still valid.
We expect this to change to include a ticket to the round-of-32 instead. Should the selected team not qualify, tickets for subsequent matches are still valid. - TST7: includes tickets for all 3 group stage matches played by the selected team, plus all subsequent matches all the way through the final match (round-of-16, quarter-final, semi-final, and third place or final). Should the selected team not qualify, tickets for subsequent matches are still valid.
We expect this to change to a TST8 series and include a ticket to the round-of-32 as well. Should the selected team not qualify, tickets for subsequent matches are still valid.
- Accessibility Tickets (AT) – more of an allocation than a type, these tickets are dedicated for fans with disabilities or limited mobility. Allocation of these tickets are available in IMTs, VSTs, and TSTs.
Note that most of these ticket products are available in the different categories offered by FIFA, so each fan can tailor their experience to serve any specific needs.
Worthy of Mention
Conditional Supporter Tickets (CST) – The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar introduced the CST, a special kind of ITM made available for the single elimination round matches that could potentially be played by national teams in the Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and the Final.
Contrary to TST4 and TST7, the validity of these tickets is subject to qualification for such rounds. If the team fails to qualify, tickets immediately become invalid. FIFA would refund tickets for all matches the purchaser could not attend due to the elimination of their team.
This is a great addition to the ticket product family and one we would love to see come back next year.
Sale Phases
FIFA rolls out ticket sales using a multi-phase system, and the FIFA World Cup 2026 is not expected to be any different.
There are typically four (4) distinctive sale Phases, with up to two (2) different purchase methods where you can apply for or purchase tickets.
Phase 1: The Random Selection Draw
This is the first, most democratic, and most relaxed phase of the entire process: the Random Selection Draw phase. It often starts before the tournament draw has been completed and perhaps before tournament qualifications have been entirely solidified.
The only matches where the teams might be known at this point are the inaugural matches where the host nations participate. We recommend avoiding IMTs and focusing on TSTs or VSTs during this phase, except for fans wanting to attend the inaugural or final matches, and fans simply wanting to experience a World Cup match without any team preference.
You can start applying for tickets during a specific time window. Everyone has an equal shot at tickets regardless of when the application is submitted, within the time window of course. It doesn’t matter if you apply on Day 1 or Day 10.
Remember at this point you are simply creating an application to purchase tickets, and it does not guarantee they will be allocated to you. Payment will not be collected at this time either, however you may be required to provide payment information in your FIFA account profile to submit your application.
Once the window closes, two things can happen:
- In the rare case that tickets for your selected match(es) are not over-subscribed (demand does not exceed the available ticket inventory), they will be directly allocated to you. Not sure if this ever happens, but that’s what FIFA claims.
- The most likely scenario is tickets will be over-subscribed, and your ticket application will be entered into a Random Selection Draw process.
After the application window closes, FIFA will notify all applicants of the status of their ticket applications via email.
You can see why luck plays such an important part when purchasing FIFA World Cup Tickets. It’s basically a lottery where millions of people apply and ticket availability is sadly limited.
🔥 Pro Tips:
- Apply for everything you’re remotely interested in. You can always decline if you win more than you need.
- Apply for your team’s TSTs even if it has not qualified. You’ll be refunded if they miss out.
- You can modify your application through the window should you need to fix any issues.
- Weekday matches equals less demand, equals higher odds of success.
- Make sure to use a credit card that works internationally. Call ahead and let them know you’ll be making a FIFA purchase.
- Get very familiar with the FIFA platform and available ticket products. This will be key for the following phases should you still need tickets.
Phase 2: First-Come, First-Served
Hopefully you are jumping up and down with excitement after opening your inbox and reading your ticket application is successful and tickets have been allocated to you. Congratulations, you are going to the FIFA World Cup!
However, the reality for majority of applicants is they’d be opening that dreaded apologetic unsuccessful status email.
But don’t be discouraged! Shortly after the lottery dust settles, FIFA opens the following phase: the First-Come, First-Served phase. The atmosphere during this phase is different: speed is everything! Fans can purchase tickets in real-time, and the early bird gets the seat.
This phase often starts after the tournament draw has taken place and the schedule has been published. You will know if your preferred team(s) have qualified for the tournament, and most importantly, when and where they will play.
Tickets will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis through the FIFA Ticketing Portal. Millions of people around the world will be online with the same goal in mind and will make this process as stressful and frustrating as a race against time.
The FIFA Ticketing Portal implements a waiting room system to manage high-traffic flow. You will be placed in a virtual queue waiting for your turn to search for tickets, where you’ll be shown your place in the queue and an estimated wait time. Be Patient! You could be waiting for hours for that countdown. Once you reach the front of the queue, you’ll be automatically redirected to the ticketing area and the competition begins.
Hopefully you listened to our advice and learned your way through the platform and have a good understanding of the available products. You need to be quick on your clicks and have all the information ready to purchase before tickets run out of stock, or your allotted time runs out. Here is where strategy comes into play: speed and preparation play a significant role and can make a big impact on your chances for success.
The purchase process is like any other ticketing platform; here is a general overview of what you should expect:
- Browse through available matches, packages, and ticket categories.
- Products will be Active/Enabled when available, and Inactive/Disabled if inventory is depleted.
- Select the desired product(s) and add to your shopping cart.
This step commonly fails and can be very frustrating. Availability, demand, and timing play a big part in your results. - Proceed to check out and complete the purchase.
We recommend checking out immediately after adding products to your cart as there is a time limit to complete payment before tickets are automatically removed from the cart. - Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Tickets will pop in and out as people’s expiration times out or they release tickets from their shopping carts.
You should receive a ticket confirmation email with the details of your purchase immediately after completion.
Reality check: even with good preparation there’s a high chance that you won’t be able to secure the tickets; but don’t be discouraged (yet again), as there will still be more chances… hope is the one thing you can’t afford to lose.
🔥 Pro Tips:
- Be online, logged in, and enter the waiting room before the sale opens. The time you join the waiting room is non-consequential as long as it is before; your position in the queue is randomized. Anyone joining after the sale opens will be added to the back of the queue.
- Do not join the queue in multiple devices and browsers. The platform may allow it, but it might not be permitted and could result in being kicked out of the line or having your account flagged. Be sure to adhere to FIFA’s official terms of service to avoid issues.
- Avoid refreshing excessively! You may lose your place in the queue.
- Do not leave your computer unattended, even with a long wait time. You could be redirected to the ticketing portal earlier than expected.
- Don’t procrastinate checking out. There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of time because you waited too long.
Phase 3: Second Random Selection Draw
You must be so excited to learn about the Second Random Selection Draw and the excitement of playing the FIFA lottery again! ** sarcasm **
Just like Phase 1, you submit applications for your preferred matches, and FIFA randomly allocates tickets. The only difference this time around is the tournament draw has already taken place, and the schedule has been published. This opens a few more options as you can now confidently add IMTs to your application with full knowledge of matchups, dates, and venues, leaving the guess work behind.
This phase usually starts shortly after Phase 2 and the same rules apply: be ready to act strategically.
IMPORTANT: We have learned this phase is not set in stone. FIFA has skipped the Second Random Selection Draw on previous occasions.
🔥 Pro Tips:
- Follow the same tips from Phase 1.
- Double down and apply to your must-have matches again. Missing out on previous phases does not mean tickets have sold out.
- VSTs are a hidden gem and offer greater value now as the schedule is available.
Phase 4: Last-Minute Sales
The Last-Minute Sales phase is simply an ongoing First-Come, First-Served phase. It typically starts a few months before the tournament begins, all the way through the final match. FIFA releases all available tickets, including additional inventory, unsold seats, returns, and unpaid lottery allocations.
The FIFA ticketing portal also serves as the official resale platform. Fans holding tickets for matches they can’t attend will have access to post their tickets back into inventory for resale during this phase.
At this point you should be an expert on navigating the ticketing platform. Just like Phase 2: First-Come, First-Served, speed and preparation are your best friends. There’s nothing different about this phase, except the fact that inventory is more limited this time around. Implement everything you learned during Phase 2.
With some luck, you can still find tickets to high demand matches during this phase.
🔥 Pro Tips:
- Follow the same tips from Phase 2.
- Don’t miss the start of this sale. Even though the phase runs throughout the end of the tournament, this is the time when you’ll have the best chance to find tickets.
- Any match can pop up here at any time. Check daily without fail, especially early mornings and late nights.
- FIFA releases very last-minute unsold tickets 1-2 days prior to matches.
Keep trying all the way until the match kickoff. Some tickets do pop up even after a match has already started.
🗓️ Key Dates to Watch (Estimated)
FIFA has not yet officially confirmed any dates, but based on the structure used in previous tournaments you should pay special attention to information releases during these estimated dates:
| Account Registration | Mid 2025 |
| Phase 1: Random Selection Draw | August 2025 – October 2025 |
| Phase 2: First-Come, First-Served | November 2025 – December 2025 |
| Phase 3: Second Random Selection Draw | February 2026 – March 2026 |
| Phase 4: Last-Minute Sales | April 2026 onward |
Next up…
On our next blog series post, we will cover detailed information about the registration and application process, and some alternative official ways to get tickets, including links to some sweepstakes!
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