World Cup Ticket Demand Remains High
The speed at which the tickets for Chase Sapphire members sold out shows the high demand for tickets ahead of June’s kickoff.
The sale came as scores of fans await the results of FIFA’s latest ticket draw. The deadline for fans to submit their applications was last month, resulting in more than 500 million people looking for tickets. Those results are now being announced, so millions of fans will still be searching for tickets.
While tickets have been selling out fast, prices for World Cup tickets have been far higher than projected. While FIFA is offering more lower-cost tickets, the competition for them is fierce.
Fans Fear Secondary Market
Once FIFA and its partners have sold all tickets, millions of fans worldwide will be left out.
While more will be made through the secondary market, sellers will be seeking significant payouts. The high demand has many expecting the secondary market to see eye-popping prices. That favors fans in the US and Canada, who can spend more on tickets because of lower travel costs.
With so many fans seeking affordable tickets, a counterfeit market will likely be active. We recommend that fans be aware of this when purchasing resale tickets, especially when using non-traditional sites.
Tickets Don’t Guarantee a US Visa
While FIFA and the US federal government have made this clear, we remind fans that World Cup tickets do not guarantee entry into the country.
Fans who secure tickets must schedule a U.S. visa appointment to attend matches. Those appointments are filling up quickly, even with the new FIFA PASS program, which is creating more.
Many fans with tickets may not be able to secure visas in time for the June kickoff. We recommend that international fans schedule their appointments ASAP, even if they don't yet have tickets.