IIs the 2026 FIFA World Cup in jeopardy? Alarm bells were sounded at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday after thousands of fans reportedly canceled tickets to attend games in the United States following calls for a boycott on social media.
The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Scheduled to open on June 11th and end on July 19th, there will be 104 games, 78 of which will be played in the continental United States.
In late December, media reports said FIFA had received 150 million ticket requests. The group estimates that actual ticket sales could reach 6 million to 7 million.
However, the domestic political situation surrounding the United States and international tensions have raised concerns among fans, leading to calls for a boycott of the tournament.
Concerns grow over mass ticket cancellations
According to a recent report in Royal News, around 16,800 people canceled their tickets over the weekend, many within 24 hours.
According to the newspaper, fans cited security concerns, political protests and human rights issues in the United States under President Donald Trump as reasons for leaving the group.
Posts using the #BoycottWorldCup hashtag have spread widely on social media, with fans and Americans voicing concerns about the direction of the tournament.
However, please note that FIFA has a strict policy against canceling tickets that have already been sold. The reported numbers may refer to cancellations of applications during the third stage of ticket sales.
FIFA calls emergency meeting
Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s top brass reportedly convened an emergency meeting this week to address the situation, bringing together senior officials, member associations and tournament organizers as cancellations mount.
The governing body has not issued a formal statement, but sources told Royal News that the meeting will focus on allaying fan concerns and addressing a drop in ticket applications.
However, official reports claim that overall ticket sales have remained stable, with cancellations accounting for only a fraction of applications.
