Key Takeaways
- As of two weeks before the 2026 World Cup opener, more than 3,500 tickets for the United States vs. Paraguay match remain unsold on FIFA’s primary portal, with an additional 6,500+ listed on resale platforms – over 10,000 seats potentially available.
- Ticket sales have lagged far behind expectations, moving at only a few dozen per day despite FIFA’s repeated releases of new inventory.
- FIFA has maintained high price points ($2,735 for Category 1, $1,940 for Category 2, $1,120 for Category 3) and only recently removed the premium “Front Category 1” surcharge for this game.
- The governing body has been holding back tickets in batches, a tactic meant to create scarcity, but for the U.S. opener the strategy has not generated strong demand, leaving thousands of seats vacant.
- Resale listings often appear at steep discounts—sometimes under half the official price—raising concerns about stadium attendance and the effectiveness of FIFA’s pricing model.
- FIFA’s hospitality partner, On Location, has allocated over 500,000 premium packages, suggesting many originally‑hospitality seats are being re‑classified as standard tickets to boost inventory.
- U.S. Soccer leadership acknowledges the need for strong home support while promoting upcoming send‑off friendlies, one of which (vs. Germany) has already sold out.
The United States’ opening match at the 2026 World Cup—scheduled for June 12 at SoFi Stadium against Paraguay—is facing an unexpected ticket‑sales shortfall. Two weeks before kickoff, FIFA’s primary sales portal showed more than 3,500 tickets still available for the game. In parallel, over 6,500 tickets were listed on FIFA’s official resale platform, meaning that combined, more than 10,000 seats could be accessed by prospective buyers. Many of those resale tickets are being offered at prices well below FIFA’s official rates, sometimes after fees and taxes amounting to less than half the original cost, indicating a weakening secondary market.
Ticket‑sale velocity has been sluggish. Throughout May, inventory trackers and data logged by The Athletic revealed that only a few dozen tickets were selling each day for the U.S.–Paraguay fixture, despite FIFA periodically releasing new batches of seats. For example, on May 7 the governing body added thousands of tickets, raising the total available to over 5,000; only a handful sold, and within 24 hours roughly 3,000 of those tickets disappeared from the portal without explanation. FIFA has not clarified why those tickets were withdrawn, nor has it disclosed whether additional seats remain held back beyond the 3,500 visible on Thursday evening.
FIFA’s pricing strategy has remained unchanged since sales began last October: Category 1 tickets are priced at $2,735, Category 2 at $1,940, and Category 3 at $1,120. The organization has only recently removed the premium “Front Category 1” surcharge for this match, aligning front‑row seats with standard Category 1 or Category 2 prices. Despite these high price points, FIFA has not lowered them in response to lagging demand, though it retains the option to do so or to distribute complimentary tickets to groups such as veterans or youth soccer organizations in the two weeks leading up to the match.
The slow sales contrast sharply with the pattern seen for other World Cup fixtures. Many matches experience rapid sell‑offs when FIFA releases new inventory, signaling strong demand. Yet the U.S. opener and a handful of other games have not followed that trend. A document dated April 10 shared with local organizers showed 40,934 tickets purchased for the U.S.–Paraguay game, compared with 50,661 for the Iran‑New Zealand match three days later at the same venue—further evidence of weaker interest.
FIFA’s hospitality arm, On Location, has allocated more than 500,000 premium packages across the tournament, a record number but still shy of the initial one‑million‑ticket ceiling. This suggests that many seats originally earmarked for hospitality have been reconverted into standard Category 1 tickets and added to the general‑sale pool, contributing to the recent spikes in visible inventory. TicketData.com’s Keith Pagello estimated that the total unsold inventory across all 104 matches rose by more than 70,000 after a large Thursday release, before quickly dropping as some games snapped up the new seats while others, including the U.S.–Paraguay clash, still showed abundant availability.
FIFA officials continue to assert that overall ticket demand remains strong, citing “high interest for all matches.” However, the persistent unsold inventory for the American opener, coupled with discounted resale listings, raises questions about whether the stadium will reach its 69,650‑seat capacity on June 12. U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson emphasized the need for robust home support while promoting upcoming send‑off friendlies—one against Germany in Chicago already sold out, the other versus Senegal in Charlotte still seeking buyers.
In summary, the United States’ World Cup curtain‑raiser is confronting a notable ticket‑sales challenge: high official prices, tepid primary‑market demand, a sizable resale market offering deep discounts, and FIFA’s practice of holding back and re‑releasing tickets have combined to leave tens of thousands of seats potentially unfilled as the tournament approaches. Whether FIFA will adjust pricing, release additional complimentary tickets, or rely on last‑minute purchases to fill SoFi Stadium remains to be seen.