FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared that all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are effectively “sold out,” despite tickets still being available ahead of the tournament’s kickoff on June 11.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC from U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Infantino said demand for tickets has been unprecedented. According to him, FIFA received 508 million ticket requests within four weeks for approximately seven million available tickets.
He noted that requests during the main sales phase in January came from more than 200 countries, describing the global interest as extraordinary.
“We’ve never seen anything like that — incredible,” Infantino said, adding that FIFA has deliberately held back some tickets for a final sales phase scheduled to begin in April and continue through the end of the tournament on July 19.
Addressing concerns over ticket prices, which supporters’ groups have described as excessive and which have reached record highs on resale platforms, Infantino pointed to the host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — as a major factor driving demand.
“Everybody wants to be part of something special,” he said.
He explained that while base ticket prices were fixed, the United States operates a dynamic pricing model, meaning prices can fluctuate depending on demand. He also acknowledged that official resale platforms and secondary markets contribute to rising prices.
Looking ahead, Infantino projected that the expanded 48-team tournament would generate more than $11 billion in revenue for FIFA, with funds to be reinvested across its 211 member associations.
He also estimated the tournament could contribute around $30 billion to the U.S. economy through tourism, hospitality, and security investments. In addition to seven million match-going fans, Infantino predicted the event would attract between 20 and 30 million tourists and create approximately 185,000 full-time jobs.
“It’s a big impact,” he said, expressing hope that the benefits would extend beyond the World Cup and leave a lasting legacy.
