Football fans across the globe faced immense frustration today as FIFA's official ticket portal for the 2026 World Cup buckled under unprecedented demand, leaving thousands locked out of the initial sales phase.
The highly anticipated tournament, being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, saw supporters queuing digitally for hours, only to be met with technical errors, website crashes, and seemingly randomised positions in the virtual line.
A Digital Battle for Tickets
Many fans reported entering the online waiting room well in advance of the 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT) launch, only to find their place in the queue was not honoured. The system, designed to manage the flood of applications, appeared to assign spots arbitrarily, granting latecomers earlier access while others who logged in early were left stranded.
Social media platforms erupted with complaints, with one user lamenting, "I was in the waiting room 30 minutes early, got placed 98,000 in line, and now it's saying my wait is more than an hour." Another added, "The FIFA queue is a joke. People joining now are getting in before me."
FIFA's Response and the Road Ahead
This initial sales window is the first of several phases. Fans who missed out are being urged not to panic, as more opportunities will arise. The current random selection draw phase is specifically for match-specific tickets and will close on 10th May.
A general sale period is expected to follow later, although specific dates have yet to be confirmed by FIFA. This staggered approach is intended to manage the immense global interest in the first 48-nation World Cup, but its rollout has been far from smooth.
The technical difficulties have cast a shadow over the early stages of ticket sales for one of the world's largest sporting events, highlighting the challenges of organising a tournament across three nations and satisfying a global fanbase.
