Should You Buy 2026 FIFA World Cup Tickets Before the Draw?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in the tournament's history and the expanded format will feature 48 teams, 16 more than the previous World Cup in Qatar 2022, that had 32 teams. It will also be the first time there will be three host nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The start of of the FIFA World Cup is approximately one year away and with the FIFA Club World Cup currently underway, excitement for next year’s event is growing so I decided to take a look at what ticket options were currently available for sale and compare the ticket offerings and my perceived value against soccer games attended around the world in iconic stadiums in Madrid, London, Manchester and more.

Also, given ticket options at the moment are only for Hospitality Multi-Game Packages and the final draw for the groups wont take place until later this year in December 2025 or possibly Q1 2026, my first immediate thought was would I want to pay for games now without knowing who will be playing? My first step was looking at the schedule for next Summer and seeing what games were offered at the 16 city locations.

Hospitality Overview

FIFA World Cup 2026 hospitality packages are ticket inclusive offerings and series that provide premium seating, exclusive entertainment, and upscale food and beverages, with service levels ranging from private suites to shared lounges and other festive product options within the stadium's secure perimeter. These packages provide an elevated experience beyond the standard ticket offerings and are being provided by On Location, the Official Hospitality Provider selected by FIFA.

As of June 2025, Hospitality Tickets are the only option available, with regular ticket sales to begin sometime in Q3/Q4 of 2025. Note that Hospitality packages are only currently available for matches held in the United States and packages for matches in Mexico and Canada will be available later this year.

Example: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium Hospitality Ticket Packages

The closest venue to where I live that will host World Cup games is Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and I have watched soccer games and football games here and am familiar with the venue having recently been to a 49ers game with club level tickets, so I decided to use that as an example and see what ticket options were available and at what cost.

The three options available right now include the following three options: Venue Series, Follow My Team and the 4 Match Group Stage Package. Note that there are also 8 Match and Private Suites options that are coming soon and you can Register Interest for them online.

I selected the Venue Series for ‘San Francisco Bay Stadium’ since it includes 5 group zone games and 1 Round of 32 game.

The lowest cost hospitality option is the ‘FIFA Pavilion’, which would cost me $8,275 per person for 6 games for a grand total of $33,100! I don’t know about you, but that price seems steep for 5 group stage games and 1 Round of 32 game, given the fact we don’ even know the draw yet and which teams will be playing in those group stage games.

With the expanded format, it is highly likely you could end up watching two “lower tier” teams play in the group stage, i.e., Uzbekistan vs Denmark or New Zealand vs Albania (if these European teams qualify) or similar types of teams. And while attending a World Cup game is exciting enough, I’m not sure I want to pay $1000+ per person for a ticket to one of these games, even being a huge fan. I’m not sure what FIFA is thinking here, given the current pricing being offered and not knowing who is playing where yet? And just look at the Club World Cup currently underway with lower tier games having low attendance, ticket prices being slashed at the last minute, weather concerns and games in non-soccer specific stadiums, it just doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in me buying tickets for next year’s World Cup just yet.

Pros and Cons of Buying Hospitality Tickets Right Now

Based on my analysis of the ticket options currently available as of June 2025 and when comparing to having attended games in Europe, here are the pros and cons of buying hospitality tickets right now for games in the United States.

Pros - Why Buying Now Might Make Sense

Guaranteed Access in a High-Demand Market
- With 48 teams and 104 matches, demand is projected to exceed availability, especially for matches in major cities or knockout rounds. Hospitality packages secure you a seat without the stress of being selected in the regular ticket lottery.
- This is currently the only way to guarantee a ticket to certain games, albeit you’ll have to buy a multi-game or venue package at a substantial cost.
Premium Experience in Limited-Capacity Cities
- Certain cities (like Philadelphia, Toronto, Guadalajara, a few others) have limited match inventory and strong local demand. Packages like the "Venue Series" can offer the only guaranteed way to secure tickets
Knockout Round Potential
- Buying early in cities hosting Round of 32 or Round of 16 games means you're likely to catch top-tier action, regardless of who’s playing. As the tournament progresses, the better teams will be left competing for the World Cup.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - Use it as a Preview
- Top matches drew big crowds (e.g., PSG vs Atletico, which I attended at the Rose Bowl), but many group games have had low attendance and quiet stadiums, especially in oversized NFL venues not made for soccer games.
- Smaller, soccer-specific venues had better atmosphere and engagement, despite lower capacities.
- Weather and field quality were major talking points, i.e., heat and humidity impacted comfort and pitch conditions, especially where grass was laid over turf.
Dynamic Pricing Favors Early Action
- FIFA has indicated it will use tiered pricing and demand driven models for regular ticket sales, meaning the longer you wait, the more you'll pay, possibly even for less desirable matchups.

Cons - Reasons You Might Want to Wait

Team Uncertainty
- If you're only interested in seeing top teams play (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, there’s no guarantee they’ll be placed in a group in your chosen city.
- We won't know the group draw until late 2025 or early 2026.
- The only known teams are the host countries - USA in Group D, Mexico in Group A, and Canada in Group B
High Hospitality Prices
- Entry-level hospitality packages start at $1000+ per person per match, which is a high price tag if you’re uncertain about the matchups or atmosphere at the stadiums.
The Game Atmosphere Isn’t Always Worth the Price (especially in the USA)
- From the Club World Cup, we learned:
  - Empty upper decks, covered sections, and muted fan noise plagued lower-profile matches in NFL stadiums.
  - The experience may not compare to a Champions League night in Europe at Old Trafford or the Bernabeu, even if you pay more.
  - For some group games, you might get World Cup prices but not a World Cup feel.
Stadium Challenges in the U.S.
- Many stadiums in the host cities not soccer-specific, meaning poor sightlines, shallow crowd engagement, and artificial turf with grass overlays per FIFA regulations.
- Some stadiums don’t meet FIFA regulation pitch sizes and need significant modifications.
- Even in hospitality areas, you’re paying top dollar for a converted NFL stadium, not a purpose-built soccer/football cathedral.
Travel Costs & Infrastructure Weakness
- Summer thunderstorms, extreme heat, and poor transit options (especially in southern U.S. cities) can make for unpleasant travel to and from the games.
  - Getting in and out of the Rose Bowl for the PSG vs Atletico Madrid game was a nightmare
- Add in higher flight and hotel prices due to increased demand and your all-in travel cost could exceed European travel for better quality matches and game atmosphere.
Social & Political Uncertainty
- Varying state laws and political climates could impact travel comfort for certain groups.
- International guests may prefer cities perceived as more welcoming or progressive.
- Government agencies posting about ICE and CBP agents being at Club World Cup games