Amid concerns over U.S. politics and security, reports have emerged of an unusual situation surrounding the 2026 World Cup: around 17,000 fans are said to have returned their tickets, while calls to boycott the tournament have intensified on social media.
Sources say the wave of mass “ticket отказ” has forced FIFA to address the issue: an emergency meeting is reportedly being considered for next week to discuss protest sentiment, boycott calls, security, and political factors.
At the same time, some analysts stress one key point: due to official World Cup ticketing rules, this may be less about “refunds” and more about some fans dropping out of the queue/application stage (or listing tickets for resale). In other words, the number exists, but there are plenty of questions about the mechanism behind it.
Boycott calls are said to go beyond stadium tickets and are already affecting hotel bookings in host cities. This, in turn, is sending signals of falling prices on the ticket resale market.
As a reminder, the 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For the first time, 48 national teams will take part.
In short, there is still time before the tournament, but the “background noise” is already heating up. FIFA’s biggest task is to maintain fan trust: amid security concerns, organizational clarity, and political noise, football itself must not get “lost.”
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