FIFA homepage crashes due to skyrocketing demand for World Cup tickets

(Dan Tri) - FIFA received more than 1.5 million applications on the first day of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup, causing the organization's system to overload.

Although the matches of the 2026 World Cup have not been specifically determined, because the draw will only take place on December 5 in Washington DC. However, on the first day of ticket sales, the homepage of the World Football Federation (FIFA) still recorded a record number of registrations from 1.5 million people from 210 countries and territories around the world.

FIFA's homepage crashes during first ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup (Photo: BottomzSpotter).

Most of the registrations came from countries such as Mexico; Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, England, Spain, Portugal and Germany. Although the registration deadline was extended to September 19, the number of fans registering to buy tickets to the 2026 World Cup on the first day was still too large, leading to technical problems.

According to The New York Times, some fans who ordered tickets encountered problems such as the countdown clock not appearing, or the message "Bad Request" (invalid request).

“The high number of ticket applications is a testament to the global excitement for FIFA World Cup 26 and the milestone that will be the defining moment in world football history,” said Heimo Schirgi, CEO of FIFA World Cup 26.

According to FIFA, there will still be a similar draw for all fans, followed by a post-draw phase when the exact match schedule is determined. Fans will have the opportunity to buy tickets on a first-come, first-served basis in early 2026, similar to how tickets are sold for US sporting events.

Ticket prices to watch the 2026 World Cup were announced by FIFA with starting prices ranging from 60 USD to 6,730 USD (over 1.5 million VND - over 177 million VND) depending on the ticket class and the attractiveness of the match.

The number of people interested in buying tickets shows the growing attraction of the World Cup (Photo: Getty).

FIFA is also experimenting with selling “ticket rights” in the form of digital tokens on its FIFA Collect platform. Around 70,000 tickets have been reserved for token holders, although they will still have to pay the full price at checkout.

According to FIFA, this approach is aimed at probing market demand and creating a more transparent pricing basis for future ticket sales.

With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams for the first time and spanning three countries, demand for tickets is huge. According to statistics, up to 8.5 million people have registered their interest. This impressive number signals the risk of "sold out tickets" lasting until the ball rolls in June 2026.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/trang-chu-fifa-gap-su-co-vi-nhu-cau-ve-xem-world-cup-tang-chong-mat-20250913100742037.htm