FIFA’s ticket email error leaves 2026 World Cup fans confused

FIFA has sparked fresh confusion over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup after sending out emails to thousands of supporters announcing an “exclusive” 48-hour purchase window -- without specifying when it would begin.

Supporters woke up on Tuesday to find a message in their inbox stating that a “special additional opportunity” had been created for them to buy tickets for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The email read: “Your exclusive ticket window opens this week.”

However, the line meant to indicate the start time of the 48-hour window was left blank.

The confusion deepened when recipients clicked on the ticket link provided in the email, only to be directed to a web shop page indicating that sales had closed on February 22 and would not reopen before April 2.

Within hours, screenshots of the incomplete email began circulating across Reddit, TikTok and WhatsApp groups, with fans questioning whether the message had been sent in error. Many wondered if it was a technical glitch or a premature announcement.

FIFA did not immediately issue clarification following the initial email.

Later in the day, some supporters received a second email containing specific access times, beginning Wednesday, February 25, as early as 11:00am Eastern Time. But not everyone who received the first message appeared to get the follow-up.

According to FIFA, the additional sales phase is intended for a selected group of applicants who had previously registered interest or entered the final random selection draw but were unsuccessful.

The governing body had earlier stated that over 500 million ticket requests were submitted during the lottery phase and that nearly all matches were sold out. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had even declared that “almost all matches are sold out,” while acknowledging that a small number of tickets would be held back for later release.

The new emails mentioned several host cities, including Dallas, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Guadalajara. Some fans reported receiving time slots for matches in Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, supporters who had applied for games in Miami or New York/New Jersey said they had not received any updated information.

Crucially, the emails did not specify which matches were available, what ticket categories were on offer or the pricing structure. FIFA described the inventory as “extremely limited” and said tickets would be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

It remains unclear how many tickets are available or whether all 16 host cities are included in this additional phase.

The sudden and incomplete communication has added to growing frustration among supporters over ticket pricing, transparency and what many describe as a complicated purchasing process.

With the 2026 World Cup set to kick off on June 11 across North America, FIFA’s latest ticketing hiccup has done little to ease concerns among fans still hoping to secure a seat at football’s biggest spectacle.