When Does The World Cup Start — Final Ticket Phase, Prices and a First-Come, First-Served Race

Fans still ask when does the world cup start even as FIFA moves into a decisive ticketing moment: the governing body has opened a final sales phase beginning April 1 through the end of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19. More than one million tickets were sold in the prior release window between December and February, and the new phase promises seat selection for buyers and visibility of allocated seats for earlier purchasers from April 1.

When Does The World Cup Start — What FIFA Announced

FIFA announced a final round of ticket sales that will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. The organisation said that additional tickets will be put on general sale starting April 1 and continuing to the tournament’s conclusion on July 19. The tournament schedule itself remains June 11 to July 19 and comprises 104 matches that FIFA expects will be sold out. The latest phase lets fans choose specific seats; those who purchased in earlier releases will be able to see which seats have been allocated to them from April 1.

The announcement follows a previous release window that ran between December and February and resulted in over one million tickets sold. FIFA stated that the remaining tickets would be sold first-come, first-served, a mechanism that shifts the burden of speed and access onto prospective buyers while giving them more control over seat selection than in prior phases.

Pricing Backlash and Formal Complaints

The ticket program has drawn sharp criticism focused squarely on cost. Fans called the December general sale a “monumental betrayal” after face prices were placed from $140 for the cheapest group games up to $8, 680 for the final. The introduction of dynamic pricing for the tournament intensified concerns that prices could rise further beyond face values. In response to the pricing strategy, Football Supporters Europe joined consumer group Euroconsumers to file a formal complaint with the European Commission.

Some adjustments followed public outcry: playoff tickets were noted to be offered for less than $17 in at least one later move, a sign that FIFA has taken steps to respond to backlash on price tiers. Still, the persistence of dynamic pricing combined with headline face prices has kept the issue alive as the new sales window opens.

Expert Perspectives, Demand and the Road Ahead

Gianni Infantino, President, FIFA, characterised demand in January as the equivalent of “1, 000 years of World Cups at once, ” underscoring the scale FIFA says it faces across 104 matches. That claim frames both the pressure on ticket distribution systems and the context for FIFA’s decision to allow seat selection in the final phase.

Consumer groups and supporter organisations have framed the issue differently, spotlighting face prices and the introduction of dynamic pricing as core problems. The formal complaint to the European Commission by Football Supporters Europe and Euroconsumers signals institutional escalation of the dispute beyond fan networks and into regulatory review.

These dynamics raise practical questions for fans and organisers alike: with limited inventory, a first-come, first-served approach and the ability to select seats, the final phase will test systems for fairness and access while demand—what Infantino called unprecedented—meets public scrutiny over cost and distribution.

What This Means Regionally and Globally

The tournament’s co-hosting across multiple countries amplifies the reach of these ticketing decisions. The final sales phase and its pricing optics will be closely watched by governments, consumer advocates and supporter bodies as they evaluate market practices and potential regulatory responses. The complaint to the European Commission places the issue squarely in a formal oversight arena, while FIFA’s seat-selection move attempts to address allocation transparency.

As the final phase opens on April 1 and fans ask again when does the world cup start, the answer is fixed in dates but fluid in access: June 11 to July 19, a window that now carries the added test of whether FIFA’s final ticketing measures will calm, or further inflame, the debate over price and fairness. Will the first-come, first-served model satisfy demand and scrutiny, or will regulators and supporters push for deeper changes?