FIFA’s 2026 World Cup ticket lottery has proven to be a challenging process for eager fans. The Visa pre-sale on the first day required not only luck but also a great deal of patience. Many individuals took to social media to express their frustrations with the convoluted registration system.
Despite initial extended wait times, the Canadian arm of the soccer event confirmed that people were successfully registering for the draw. The pre-sale registration portal will remain open until September 19 at 11 a.m. ET, allowing ample time for interested parties to try their luck again.
To participate in the pre-sale, applicants must register with FIFA, be at least 18 years old, and possess a Visa card. Upon the portal’s opening, registrants had to wait for a countdown clock to signal their turn. After clicking on the “Enter” button, they needed to provide personal details for the draw.
While some encountered technical issues like an “HTTP Status 400 — Bad Request” message, others faced repeated waits and hurdles. However, perseverance eventually paid off for those who persisted. Following the pre-sale closure, a random draw will select winners who will receive notification by email by September 29. Winners will then have a designated time slot from October 1 to 21 to purchase tickets online, depending on availability.
In addition to the pre-sale, Canadians have two more options to secure tickets for the 48-team, 104-game tournament hosted in Toronto and Vancouver. Apart from existing hospitality packages, which range from $2,500 to custom experiences, Canadians can enter a separate lottery for Canada Soccer’s ticket allotment for the national team’s matches. Ticket prices start at $60 for group-stage games and can go up to $6,730 for the championship match, with fluctuations possible based on demand.
Each fan can purchase up to four tickets per game for a maximum of 10 matches, totaling a maximum of 40 tickets.
