2026 World Cup Bay Area Matches Face Ticket Crunch

The 2026 World Cup, expanding to include 48 teams, will feature six matches hosted at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area. Despite the increased capacity, ticket availability is proving to be extremely limited, with several games already sold out as demand surges.

Final Teams Qualify for Expanded Tournament

The qualification process for the expanded tournament recently concluded on March 31st. The final six teams to qualify were four European nations, Congo DR, and Iraq. This brings the total number of qualified teams to 48, with 32 advancing to the second round of the competition.

Match Schedule and Ticket Availability

Bay Area Games

Levi’s Stadium will host five group phase matches and one round of 32 match between June 13th and July 1st. Access to FIFA’s official ticket portal on April 1st revealed extremely limited availability for all Bay Area games. Tickets for the round of 32 games are currently unavailable.

USA vs. Paraguay and Other Opportunities

Among other available matches, USA vs. Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12th is being offered with tickets priced between $1,940 and $2,750. The winner of Group D, potentially the U.S. national team, will participate in the round of 32 match in the Bay Area.

Technical Issues and Resale Market

FIFA is reportedly experiencing technical difficulties with World Cup ticket sales. Due to the high demand, ticket availability is subject to change. Fans are also turning to secondary markets, with multiple websites offering resale tickets.