2026 World Cup Tickets: Sold Out Before Kick-Off?

Picture this: you're queuing for a pint at the pub, but instead of lager, it's 104 World Cup matches all vanishing faster than a dodgy VAR decision. FIFA President Gianni Infantino dropped the bombshell in a CNBC chat this week – every single game of the 2026 North American World Cup is already sold out. Blimey, that's the lot, from group-stage fillers to the final showdown on 19 July.

Infantino was buzzing like he'd just nicked a last-minute winner. "Demand is sky-high," he grinned, revealing 508 million ticket requests poured in over four weeks for roughly seven million seats. That's from fans in over 200 countries, smashing records left, right and centre. "We've never seen owt like it," he crowed – and coming from the bloke who runs world football, that's saying something.

Last-Minute Lads and Dynamic Drama

Don't bin your dreams just yet, though. There's a cheeky "last-minute" sales phase kicking off in April, running right up to the finale. Perfect for those who fancy turning up fashionably late to the biggest party on the planet.

But hold your horses on the prices – they've been catching flak from fan groups calling them steeper than Wembley on Cup Final day. Infantino shrugged it off with a Super Bowl analogy: "It's like **104 Super Bowls crammed into one month." Spot on for the hype, but ouch for the wallet.

Enter dynamic pricing, the US market's wild child. Ticket costs ebb and flow with demand – hot matches spike, quieter ones dip. Resale on official platforms? That's where prices rocket again, pure supply-and-demand footie. "It's the market, innit?" Infantino quipped. Fair play, but hope your nan's not remortgaging for a nosebleed seat.

Billions in the Bank and Economic Euphoria

This behemoth – 48 teams, three host nations (USA, Mexico, Canada), starting 11 June 2026 – is set to mint $11 billion (£8.5 billion) for FIFA, maybe more. Infantino swears every quid gets ploughed back into football across 211 member nations. No champagne flutes for the suits, then.

The real winner? The US economy, braced for a $30 billion (£23 billion) injection from tourists, grub, security and splurges. Expect 20-30 million extra visitors beyond the stadium hordes, plus 185,000 full-time jobs popping up like mushrooms after rain.

"Huge ripple effect," Infantino beamed, dreaming of a legacy that outlasts the hangovers. From packed stadia to bustling bars, this World Cup could redefine mega-events. Just don't ask me to explain dynamic pricing over a post-match pint – it's enough to make your head spin faster than a Messi free-kick.

As reported by folks at Gazeta Esportiva.com via OneFootball, with a nod to AFP. Get your bids in early, lads – or settle for the telly.