👋 We’re back in your inbox with the monthly recap of World Cup content! |
Interesting in pitching a newsletter sponsorship? Send a message!
Some links on this page are affiliate partnerships. If you make a purchase through these, we earn a small commission, at no cost to you. This helps keep our content free and up-to-date.
March 2026 World Cup Digest
This edition covers:
Note: gmail occasionally cuts off the email version of the newsletter so if this occurs, you’ll want to click “Read Online” in the top right corner of the message.
Last Phase - Last Minute
Phase 3 ended and we are onto the Last Sales Phase…well, sort of. For many lucky fans, FIFA issued an unexpected “second chance” 48 hour window the last week of February. The communication was nothing short of comical. However, I was one of the lucky ones and purchased tickets to Morocco vs Haiti. I have never seen this round in a World Cup, nor was it documented anywhere to be expected to occur.
It can’t be a good sign regarding FIFA’s overall ticket sales. I imagine it is because of many tickets being declined by banks/credit card companies, etc. It doesn’t seem too likely that FIFA will sell out every single match unless the prices drop in the Last Minute Phase.
Speaking of Last Minute Phase, this will open in April (I guessed April 16th) and here are some bullet point tips:
Stay calm, you will 100% see a ticket “available” and then be told it is no longer available.
Check and refresh often. The desired ticket(s) may be in someone’s cart that abandons it in a few minutes.
Don’t give up! Tickets to matches historically appear in waves throughout the tournament, all the way until the end.
Tickets to France vs Argentina Final in 2022 appeared the day of the match!
Budget Accommodations
I mentioned this last newsletter briefly but wanted to call it out again as I do find it interesting for any fans traveling in a group.
I came across a travel company, CSM Travel, that is working with universities across Host Cities to find a win-win-win situation for accommodations. CSM Travel identified the empty dorms and apartments during the summer as a way to offer a low budget, no frills style location to sleep. The idea resonated with Canadian fans traveling to watch Canada play and has gained tractions with other fan groups.
Read here for more details, example lodging and even a quick survey to complete to express interest in a specific Host City to assist CSM with their inventory.
Host Cities / Funding / Fan Fests
We all know that FIFA takes all the profits while the host cities and countries burden the risks of hosting. This leads to the question of “who is going to pay for the tournament”.
Los Angeles is not only offering a Fan Fest (at LA Colisseum) but also “Fan Zones” across the region. Seattle is a Host that planned one centralized location to a more distributed model across the region. The reason for the change in Seattle is a focus on ensuring small businesses can benefit from the World Cup.
NY/NJ went from promising that all 104 matches would be showcased to selling presale tickets to canceling it altogether in a matter of months. The article linked states that funding will now go to much smaller celebrations spread across multiple areas.
The latest news out of Boston is the city of Foxboro (where the actual stadium is located) is refusing to grant FIFA permits it needs to operate matches without the $7.8M in funding it was promised. The deadline set is March 17th. It sounds straight forward but The Athletic digs into all the details, conversations, proposals, etc here.
I need to update the Host City Guides with all the latest updates but with so much that’s still fluid, will wait to do so. Regardless, the one takeaway is to check if Host City you’re in is hosting a Fan Fest that day as it seems a distributed model and/or only selected dates may be applicable.
Hospitality Packages - New Matches Available
New single-match hospitality offerings are available for the Official Hospitality tickets by On Location/FIFA. Fans can now select Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the Bronze Medal match; whereas Group Stage and Round of 32 was previously only available for single match options.
Additionally, the Group Stage matches for Canada & USA are now available, too!
Hospitality is certainly expensive but for higher budgets, it is a nice balance of skipping sales phases, better seating and amenities. Check availability at the official site.
Parking Expenses
Want another cost to add to your bill for attending a match? Of course you do! FIFA is here to support with their absurd parking prices.
It isn’t really surprising at all; although the FAQ’s on the parking site (click into each city’s “Guide”) also states that lots may not even be assigned or known at time of purchase which is a bit more of a surprise.
I’ve said it before and will say it again. Getting in and out of matches will likely be a nightmare with traffic, congestion and prices. It will take time and require patience. Plan accordingly and don’t get caught missing the first half because you’re still in the security line.
Airbnb Offer for Host City Listings
We saw that FIFA and Airbnb partnered and the best way to summarize the incentives from Airbnb is to quote it below:
You could get an extra $750 USD reward for listing your home and hosting your first guests by July 31, 2026.† That’s on top of what you could earn hosting on Airbnb.
For more details, check the news directly from Airbnb and if you list your place or a spare bedroom as a host, try to be a decent human being.
Qualifying Playoffs This Month
Reminder: the playoffs to determine the last 6 spots of the 2026 World Cup kickoff later this month.
We’ll see one team from each of these 6 groups qualify:
New Caledonia / Jamaica / DR Congo
Iraq / Bolivia / Suriname
Czechia / Republic of Ireland / North Macedonia / Denmark
Slovakia / Kosovo / Turkiye / Romania
Italy / Northern Ireland / Wales / Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania
FIFA chose a different ticket pricing strategy for the first two groups’ matches that take place in Guadalajara and Monterrey.
I Have Tickets, Now What
If you’re one of the fortunate souls who acquired tickets at this point or you’re wondering what to do next once you do acquire tickets, here’s a quick checklist:
Visa: Traveling from abroad, check on whether or not you need a visa to enter Mexico, Canada or USA.
Check your gear - while the official new kits are pending, you may find an older version or a classic one for a great price here.
You’ll want to consider Flights:
Utilize a service like Google Flights where you can go into Explore mode and view entry points into various airports.
Use a service like Going that proactively notifies you of mistake fares, sales, etc. You can use this link for 20% off.
I personally use Going for international and domestic fares.
Start planning lodging:
This could be trickier in some cities than others; hence where our partner Roadtrips can come in to assist.
Else, check your hotel aggregators like Hotels.com, Booking, Expedia, etc.
Don’t forget to check out our Host City Guides for quick references for each city.
Why is There an Advertisement Below?
Sign-ups for this newsletter required an upgrade in costs to keep it operating. The platform I use offers native advertisements to insert. I enter topics I’m interested in and choose whether or not to accept. I thought I’d try one out this edition.
Women-led adventures that make a difference
Intrepid has launched three new Women’s Expeditions in Peru, Bhutan and Cambodia – created exclusively for women travellers. Expect immersive adventures that break down barriers and connect you with local communities, from trekking the Peruvian Andes to a women-run tuk tuk tour in Cambodia and a traditional hot stone bath experience at a women-owned farmhouse in Bhutan.
Answering Reader Questions
Interested in sending a question? Hit respond directly from your inbox to send a message to submit a question. I’m summarizing & generalizing the topics here:
Why can’t I log into FIFA Portal and see my tickets?
Does Ticketdata information use FIFA Resale Marketplace too?
I have posted about Ticketdata previously and received this questions a couple of times. Ticketdata is a brilliant site and yes, it illustrates the aggregation of resale ticket data (for any activity) BUT it does NOT have access to the FIFA Marketplace portal.
Have other World Cups ticket processes been “so confusing”?
I put “so confusing” in quotes because it is really just different - and different is confusing to people. Recent World Cups have all used sales phases and lotteries, so that part of the process is normal. What has changed in 2026 is that, despite still allocating tickets through lotteries instead of market‑clearing auctions, face‑value prices have risen so much (even when accounting for inflation) that there’s a massive portion of fans, many who put their national team as the focal point of their lives, that are effectively priced out.
What are your thoughts on the prices? Will they drop?
I receive this question often and even referenced it in this newsletter earlier. I do think prices to some Group or R32 matches will drop as kickoffs approach. I heard too many instances of people purchasing as many tickets as possible to “make a buck” on resale this tournament.
I also personally believe that the pricing of tickets, greed, difficulty in obtaining visas and political turmoil of the world, etc will ironically leave many matches with fans that paid a fortune to “experience the once-in-a-lifetime vibes of a World Cup match” only to realize that what makes the experience of a World Cup match are the fans…and many of those fans couldn’t afford to unexpectedly 10x their spending to attend 2026…which will lead to awkward match atmospheres. Not all matches - but many. I suppose that is my “hot take”.When will seats be assigned?
During the next sales phase, fans will be able to identify the assigned seats of purchased tickets. Some expect the portal to have seats revealed once it is immediately re-opened. I don’t know for sure so not making a definitive statement. Please note that every tournament, fans will complain about the price they paid and the seat location. FIFA does not care and clearly illustrated the “risk” so don’t waste your time and energy complaining.
I won tickets but upon reflection of the value of the ticket and the costs, I don’t want them anymore. What do I do?
I had more than a couple personal friends text me that won the lottery for the semi-finals; only to then question if it was worth the money. A handful of international travelers admitted this tournament has evolved into an expense ratio that is no longer sane or sensical for themselves of family. If I were in your situations, I’d immediately place the tickets on the FIFA Resale Marketplace at the price you purchased (+ 15% fee to cover the extra fees). With many tickets listed for profit, these “face value” tickets would sell first.
How was your application for Phase 3 Tickets?
I was denied in Phase 3 but as stated earlier, selected for the surprise 48 hour sales phase. In total, I have tickets to Spain vs Saudi Arabia + Morocco vs Haiti.
I saved a bracket prediction on your site. How do I find it?
It’s wild to see how many people created a bracket and saved it. Go back to the page, open the link and click “View Saved Bracket”
How can I contact FIFA Support with questions about refunds, tickets, problems, etc?
They are never set up well to address support issues and 99% of responses are automated slop that doesn’t help, however, this link on their FAQ shows the methods to attempt to get in touch.
Are On Location & FIFA Still Hiring for 2026?
I’ll continue to post links for the jobs FIFA and others post. The positions refresh often:
On Location Jobs (Hospitality Vendor)
And, since a large % of readers here are American, here’s a link to open jobs with US Soccer, too.
Bonus Links
Schedule App / Live Scores
The creator of a World Cup schedule app pinged me and the UI/UX is very solid and includes a wealth of information.
Follow the links for a preview (iOS Link / Google Store Link)ICE on Security
The Athletic details ICE plans for security support for those interested.
CarpoolConnect Application
Any parents or have friends that are parents who struggle managing the chaos of carpool creation & organization? Check out this carpool tool to use or share.
Read about the epidemic of ACL tears in kids, especially females, and availability of a science-backed protocol that can drastically reduce chance of injury that most coaches, parents, etc are unaware of. I’ve had 4 knee surgeries myself due to injuries playing so this research is near and dear to me and we should all question coaches that don’t utilize these methods.
The CRAZIEST Story You’ve Never Heard Of
Have a friend, loved one or colleague that you think would love to subscribe to this newsletter?
Shoutout to Our OG Partners
Always showing love to our OG’s with shouts to AI Language Tutor Languatalk and virtual personal card Businesscards.io!
Interested in learning a new language to with an actual human OR engage in a convo with a fully immersive and fluent AI personality on your schedule? It can be useful with meeting with other fans.
Don’t let the name deter you, we use this service for personal connections, too! BC’s virtual card has been a useful way to exchange contact info + socials with fellow fans we meet at tournaments.
