Missed out on World Cup 2026 tickets? You are not alone, and you are not out of luck. Millions of fans applied for tickets, and many missed out in the first sales phases. But tickets keep becoming available: the official resale platform, returns, hospitality releases and last-minute price drops all create chances to get in. Here is how last-minute tickets work, where to find them, and how to avoid the scams that target desperate fans.

The official resale platform: your first stop

The only safe place to buy last-minute World Cup 2026 tickets is FIFA's official resale platform. Fans who cannot attend can list their tickets for resale at face value, and FIFA controls the transfer, so the ticket is genuine and the seat is yours. Check the platform daily, and check it at odd hours: new tickets appear when fans' plans change, often in the evening or early in the morning. Set up alerts for the matches you want, and be ready to buy immediately: good seats go in minutes. Never buy from a stranger on social media when the official platform exists.

Price drops: when tickets get cheaper

Ticket prices do not only go up. For group matches between less famous teams, and for matches in smaller stadiums, prices on the official resale platform can fall below face value as the match approaches, especially if the teams are already eliminated or the match does not decide anything. The biggest price drops happen in the final 48 hours before a match, when sellers would rather take a loss than lose the whole ticket. If you are flexible about which match you see, you can get into a World Cup stadium for much less than the original price.

Ticket alerts: how to set them up

Set up alerts on the official FIFA ticketing site for the matches and price ranges you want. You can also follow the official FIFA ticketing accounts and the host city accounts, which announce new ticket releases and resale windows. Some host cities run their own alert services for local matches. Do not rely on third-party alert apps that ask for your payment details: they are often scams. The safest alerts are the ones that come from FIFA itself, and they are free.

Hospitality and last-minute releases

FIFA and the host cities also release hospitality packages and returned tickets in the final weeks before the tournament. Hospitality packages are expensive, but they include food, drinks and a guaranteed seat, and they sometimes go on sale at a discount when the tournament is close. Returned tickets from sponsors and federations also appear on the official platform in the final days. Check the platform every morning in the last week before your trip: this is when the best last-minute tickets appear.

Scams to avoid: the red flags

Last-minute ticket buyers are the favourite targets of scammers. The red flags are always the same: a seller who asks for payment by bank transfer or gift card, a price far below face value for a big match, a seller who cannot show the ticket on the official FIFA app, or a deal that has to be completed in the next ten minutes. Real tickets are transferred through the official FIFA app, with the buyer's name on them. If someone offers you a screenshot of a ticket, it is a scam. If someone offers you a ticket for the final at half price, it is a scam. When in doubt, walk away.

Your last-minute ticket plan

Start by setting alerts on the official platform for the matches you want, at the price you can afford. Check the platform every day, and twice a day in the final week. Be flexible: a group match between two smaller teams is still a World Cup match, and the atmosphere is often better than at the big games. Arrive in the host city a day early, so you have time to buy and to sort out any problems. And remember: the cheapest ticket is the one you buy from FIFA, not the one you buy from a stranger.