“It was our gift,” That’s how Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham described the signing of Lionel Messi. Back in the summer of 2023, the Argentinian superstar shocked the world by leaving Europe once and for all to join the Herons in MLS, a decision that has since brought nothing but greatness on and off the pitch. From leading the team to new heights, breaking records, and selling out stadiums, Messi has done it all. And as if that wasn’t enough, he has now taken things up another notch in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

With just nine months until the 23rd edition of the prestigious tournament kicks off, it’s only natural for the stakeholders to start thinking about holding a ticket pre-sale draw. With that spirit, fans from across the globe wasted no time in showing their interest. Precisely, a whopping 1.5 million applications from over 210 countries have been received by FIFA for the ticket draw within, wait for it, 24 hours!

While it’s no surprise that the bulk of the demand came from the three co-host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the real twist lies outside of them. Guess which country led the pack? None other than Lionel Messi’s Argentina. At least, that’s how FIFA put it, highlighting that the reigning world champions topped the list of applicants beyond the host nations.

Though the specific breakdown hasn’t been provided by the Gianni Infantino-led organisation, it was revealed that alongside Argentina, the remaining others include Colombia, Brazil, England, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. “The large number of entries submitted is a testament to the huge amount of excitement sparked across the globe by the FIFA World Cup 26 and the extent to which it’s set to become a watershed in football history,” FIFA World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said in a statement.

Notably, the ticket pre-sale is currently open exclusively to all the Visa cardholders at least until September 19. This marks the first of several sales phases that FIFA will be rolling out before the lead-up to the June 11 kickoff of the expanded 48-team, 104-match World Cup. We wonder what the responses will be as further stages are rolled out.

Surprisingly, many users faced a lot of technical hiccups on opening day. Due to the huge demand, problems like error messages and long waits were significantly witnessed, forcing many applicants to restart. Around one million tickets are available in this initial lottery, though FIFA has yet to confirm how many will be issued overall for the tournament.

Winners of the random draw will be notified by email beginning September 29 and will receive a specific time slot to buy tickets, starting October 1, depending on availability. Of course, the majority of the interest will be among all the Argentinian fans, for the obvious reasons to see their GOAT, even though it’s unclear whether the 37-year-old would even compete.

Not to mention that while speaking in the Argentine press after Argentina’s 3-0 win over Venezuela, the Miami star said, “I don’t think I’ll play the next World Cup — not because of age, but the most logical thing is that I won’t,” rather focusing on playing the game day by day. But La Pulga kept his window of playing open, admitting he’ll think about it after the end of the MLS season and how the 2026 preseason goes.

Regardless, fans will still want to turn up for the upcoming World Cup, and when they do, they’ll certainly have to pay the price.

Pay top dollar to see Lionel Messi and other favorite stars at the 2026 World Cup!

The ticket prices for the upcoming prestigious tournament have been quite the talk of the town, with many believing they are simply expensive. Typically, the prices range from $60 for the cheapest group-stage seats to $6,730 for the most expensive tickets to the final. Even though it was confirmed by FIFA earlier that they would roll out their ticketing program this fall, hospitality packages were already unveiled this summer with a simple math of ‘the more you pay, the better.’

Official hospitality provider On Location is handling all the experiences that they will be delivering to the fans. A range of hospitality packages has been unveiled, offering premium tickets, food, drinks, and lounge access across all three host nations. Prices start at $1,350 per person for a single-match package covering non-host group-stage games or a Round of 32 match.

The Venue Series package, beginning at $8,275, grants access to every match in a selected stadium, while the Follow My Team package, starting at $6,750, covers a nation’s group-stage and Round of 32 fixtures (excluding the hosts). Hospitality areas include the FIFA Pavilion, Trophy Lounge, Champions Club, and Pitchside Lounge, which are open before, during, and after matches.

Costs range from $2,500 for Pavilion access to over $5,000 for pitch side experiences, with added perks and gifts at higher tiers. FIFA will also provide private suites, though pricing hasn’t been revealed. At last, for those seeking the most exclusive option, the Platinum Access Program offers a tailor-made experience, from private jet arrivals to post-match pitch access—even the chance to take a penalty against a pro goalkeeper.

Simply put, “Sky really is the limit.” Whether ardent fans would be breaking the bank to potentially catch their favorite stars in action, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, as well as contesting nations, is something that remains to be seen.