500 Million Tickets Sought? Historic 2026 FIFA WC Frenzy Collides With Fan Safety Fears

FIFA received over 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup, but safety fears and political unrest in the United States are causing withdrawals among global fans.

FIFA has indeed reported receiving more than 500 million ticket requests during the recent Random Selection Draw phase for the 2026 World Cup, which closed on January 13, 2026, marking a record level of global interest in the expanded 48-team tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This surge averaged around 15 million requests per day over the 33-day window, with applications coming from fans in all 211 FIFA member associations and validated via unique credit card data. Despite this overwhelming demand—which likely equates to interest in over a billion individual tickets, given that each request can cover 1-4 seats—FIFA has only about 4-5 million tickets left after earlier presales.

However, alongside this enthusiasm, there are emerging reports of fan withdrawals and boycott calls stemming from safety concerns, political unrest, and U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration. A key trigger appears to be a recent fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, which has amplified fears of civil unrest, heavy-handed policing, and potential risks for international visitors. Social media and news outlets have highlighted claims of thousands of ticket cancellations—figures ranging from 16,800 to 30,000 in various reports—often linked to these issues, as well as high ticket prices (up to $8,680 for premium seats) and visa hurdles. Notable examples include Lebanese diplomat Mohamad Safa publicly canceling his tickets in protest, stating the U.S. is "not safe to visit," and broader calls for boycotts from fans citing travel bans affecting supporters from countries like Iran, Haiti, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.

On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), discussions reflect a mix of alarm and skepticism. Some users amplify boycott narratives, pointing to Trump's threats against co-host Mexico over drug cartels and the psychological barriers of strict entry rules, while others question the scale of cancellations, noting they represent a tiny fraction (e.g., 0.0034%) of overall requests amid still-strong demand. FIFA has responded by securing priority visa interview slots for ticket holders through the U.S. State Department's FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS), aiming to ease access for the 11 U.S. host cities. Still, these concerns have prompted emergency discussions within FIFA about reputational risks, with some international coalitions and even UK MPs urging potential actions like relocating games if unrest escalates.

Overall, while the ticket request numbers underscore massive excitement for the event starting in June 2026, the reported withdrawals highlight how U.S. domestic politics could impact attendance, particularly from overseas fans. FIFA officials have downplayed the boycotts as marginal so far, but monitoring real-time sentiment suggests this could evolve as the tournament approaches.