The 2026 FIFA World Cup is 264 days out, but ticket frenzy is already underway.
Driving the news: The deadline to register for a chance to buy from the first batch of 2026 FIFA World Cup general public tickets closed yesterday. The fortunate footy fans who are selected from the lottery system will be assigned their time slot to buy tix on Sept. 29.
- If you missed out, fear not — two more tranches of tickets will be released this year. Registration for the next cycle is open from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31.
Why it matters: With Canada hosting 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver, domestic demand will be ferocious. Both from fans cheering on Canada and from those rooting for their ancestral homelands, repping the many nationalities that make up our cultural mosaic.
- Toronto already got a taste of this last year when it hosted an international tourney that saw fans of the Ivory Coast and Ukraine rival those supporting Canada.
- According to a study by Deloitte and FIFA, all this transnational jubilation will result in a $2 billion contribution to Canada’s GDP and the creation of 24,100 jobs.
Yes, but: Even for the lucky few who do get the chance to buy tix, price could be an issue. While the cheapest tix starts at a reasonable US$60, dynamic pricing will be in effect the moment sales open, meaning tix that actually cost $60 will be few and far between.—QH