Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will go on sale on Oct. 1, with millions of soccer fans eager to secure their seats even though less than half the tournament field has been finalized and the match schedule won’t be set until December.

The opening sales phase is limited to the 4.5 million applicants who entered and will win a FIFA lottery. Those selected will receive email notifications with timeslots giving them first access to buy tickets over the next several days, FIFA said.

Demand has been enormous. FIFA President Gianni Infantino called the lottery numbers “a strong statement,” writing on social media: “The whole world wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26, the biggest, most inclusive and most exciting event ever.”

The U.S., Mexico and Canada, the three host nations, topped

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