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FIFA rocked with fans cancelling WC tickets
Earlier, FIFA had estimated that the upcoming tournament would potentially be the most-attended World Cup in history.
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Rwittika Chakraborty
- Wed, 14, Jan 2026
- 03:18 EST
- 15
Representative image / AI generated
A huge number of fans have reportedly cancelled their tickets to the 2026 World Cup, slated to commence on June 11 in Washington DC, U.S., overnight, which has led FIFA to schedule an emergency meeting later this week.
According to a report by Roya News, around 16,800 ticket holders cancelled their World Cup participation amid growing safety fears, political unrest, and human rights concerns in the U.S., including calls for boycotts that spread rapidly across social media.
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As FIFA maintains a strict no-refund policy on sold World Cup tickets, the figure is believed to reflect fans withdrawing from Phase Three of ticket sales, including random draw applications and purchases through member associations.
Overseas fans have specifically voiced concerns of personal safety with regard to the current political climate while travelling in the U.S.
It also appears that the recent fatal ICE-related shooting in Minneapolis was the tipping point that led to this development among fans.
The 2026 World Cup is historic as it is the first edition with 48 teams, and the first time co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
However, with fans from Europe, South America, and Africa openly mentioning their reservations about being present in the U.S., there seems to be a damper on the upcoming tournament.
Hotel bookings in host cities have reportedly decreased, while ticket resale prices have also seen a decline.
Discussions of the reported upcoming meeting of FIFA are expected to focus on fan safety concerns, declining ticket commitments, and the growing reputational risk surrounding the tournament.
Earlier, FIFA had estimated that between 5.5 and 6.5 million supporters would attend matches across North America, potentially making it the most-attended World Cup in history and surpassing the 3.6 million fans recorded at the 1994 tournament.
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