BERLIN (dpa) 

FIFA said it received more than half a billion ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup during the latest sales phase, despite criticism from fans over high prices. 

Germany generated the most applications after the three host countries - the United States, Mexico and Canada - the football body said late on Wednesday.

The sales period ran from December 11 to Tuesday and, for the first time, offered individual tickets for specific games and teams in the group stage. Fans will be informed on February 5 at the earliest if they were successful in a random draw. 

Those unsuccessful in this phase will have another opportunity to purchase tickets in a second sales phase, which runs until the end of the tournament.

"Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand - it's a global statement," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

During the sales period, FIFA introduced a new ticket category for "loyal fans" in response to global protests over high prices. The new "Supporter Entry Tier" category applies to all 48 World Cup teams and all matches across Canada, Mexico and the US from June 11 to July 19.

However, the lower-priced tickets are limited in availability. FIFA allocates 8% of tickets per match to each participating team's supporters through their national associations, with only 10% of that allocation in the new ticket category.