FIFA World Cup’s first ticket phase starts Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know

(Editor’s note: This story was updated after being originally published Aug. 12, 2025.)

Soccer’s governing body has revealed that the starting range of ticket prices for next summer’s tournament will be from $60 for group stage matches, up to $6,730 for the final. 

And don’t hold your breath on seeing the same 11th-hour price reductions that happened during the FIFA Club World Cup this past summer. The expanded format of FIFA’s premier soccer club competition was relatively untested, while 2026’s tournament is expected to draw 6.5 million fans from around the world to the 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

On top of that demand, soccer’s global governing body will introduce a dynamic pricing program, FIFA confirmed last week. So as demand increases, expect prices to as well.

Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field will host six games: five group stage games and a July Fourth round-of-16 match coinciding with the country’s semiquincentennial celebrations.

The city will also have a fan-fest location at East Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill, where those without game tickets can watch a live broadcast of the action, along with music, food and other entertainment.

First and most importantly, fans can and should register interest now at the website, where they’ll set up the FIFA account and ID needed during the lottery application period, and can sign up to get notifications about the ticketing process.

The application period for the first general public ticket lottery for next year’s tournament — exclusively for Visa cardholders (any credit, debit or prepaid card from Visa should work) — runs Sept. 10 to Sept. 19. When you enter during the lottery period has no effect on your chances of being selected, as long as you get your entry in during the window. FIFA says that randomly selected applicants will be notified before the end of September and assigned a date and time in October to purchase their tickets through FIFA’s website. Ticket sales will be capped to four per match, and a total of 40 for the whole tournament.

The next ticket draw — open to everyone — takes place  from Oct. 27 to 31, with the time slots for the randomly selected applicants held in mid-November.

The third window of ticket selling is shortly after the draw that places all the 48 competing nations into their groups for the tournament, which is being held Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In this lottery, you will be able to apply for specific games, since the schedule will be mostly set then.

The next phase is a first-come, first-serve buying process.

FIFA has also said that it is going to launch its own resale platform later this year, which will be available on its website.

Hospitality packages have been available — though at quite a premium for all the VIP lounge, food and beverage service added in — for single games, all the matches at one venue, or to follow a particular national team through its three group stage games and its first knockout stage game. Single-game hospitality ticket options for the Linc’s five group stage games are currently priced between $1,450 and $1,500 per person, with the July 4 game currently unavailable. The price for the Philly series ticket package starts at $19,700. Packages to follow the three host nations, as well as the national teams for Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and England, are currently unavailable.

Want to try and catch some of the World Cup without breaking the bank? Well,  FIFA announced this week that it is now accepting applications for volunteers to help with the tournament. It is expecting 65,000 volunteers across the 16 cities hosting the tournament. The local host committee, Philadelphia Soccer 2026, expects to have 3,000 volunteers in Philly, with the possibility of an additional 1,500.

“Whether you’re a lifelong soccer fan or simply proud to represent Philadelphia, this is your chance to create a truly unforgettable fan experience for visitors from around the world,” said Allison Grove, who is heading up Philadelphia Soccer 2026’s volunteer program. “We’re calling on the community to answer the call, get involved and be part of history.”  

Philly was the third-most-requested host city location in early registration, with 50% of early registrants applying from outside of the region, and 4 in 5 of those from out of the country, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 has said.

And here’s a caution: Don’t assume that a volunteer position will be your golden ticket to catch the live action on the pitch. Volunteers will be assigned to key locations during the tournament — in and around the Linc, for sure, but also at the Lemon Hill fan fest, Philadelphia International Airport and other popular transport locations for the games.

One place volunteers will likely visit is a volunteer center in the Fashion District mall that Philadelphia Soccer 2026 revealed on July 28. Located in a two-story, 18,000-square-foot space that was previously used for immersive experiences like the Banksy immersive exhibition, it will serve as the administrative hub for the tournament and a gathering point for volunteers. The space will also host a museum that will be open to the public at some point next year. 

The mall’s Cube lobby space near the entrance will also serve as a location for pop-up events and promotions for World Cup fans during the tournament. 

Philly expects to review and interview around 8,000 applicants, with interviews and tryouts in October. Selected volunteers then will receive training from late December to early March, when they’ll then be provided credentials and uniforms. The final phase of the process will involve the volunteers checking in and going about their assigned shifts for the tournament. Though Philly only has games on June 14, 19, 22, 25, 27 and July 4, the city’s volunteers will be active from the tournament’s June 11 kickoff in Mexico until the final in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19.  

Grove said organizers plan to reveal more details about the volunteer center in early to mid-October.

The post FIFA World Cup’s first ticket phase starts Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.