Chase dropped a bombshell Tuesday that should make every soccer fan check their wallet: Sapphire cardholders will get exclusive dibs on FIFA World Cup tickets for the 2026 tournament across North America, bypassing the brutal public lottery that leaves millions empty-handed.
The program launches early next year and hands Sapphire Reserve and Preferred holders priority access to matches, hospitality packages and VIP experiences at all 16 host cities. The bank won’t discuss pricing yet, but confirmed packages span everything from group stage chaos to the final at MetLife Stadium.
Skipping the Lottery Bloodbath
“This goes well beyond what FIFA offers through standard ticket sales,” said Jennifer Roberts, who runs Chase’s premium card benefits. “Our cardholders get first crack at inventory that won’t even hit the general public lottery system.”
That’s no small advantage. The 2026 World Cup expects over 5 million ticket requests for roughly 3.3 million seats across 104 matches. FIFA’s public lottery typically crushes dreams at a 15% success rate for premium games — and that’s being generous for semifinals and the final.
Chase negotiated directly with FIFA rather than scraping secondary markets. Their allocation includes guaranteed knockout round options, complete with stadium club access, pre-match dining and transportation between venues. It’s the kind of white-glove treatment that makes the $550 annual fee on a Reserve card feel reasonable.
The Sports Experience Gold Rush
This World Cup deal isn’t Chase throwing darts at a board — it’s calculated expansion of a sports strategy that’s printing money. The company already locks up exclusive access for cardholders to PGA Tour events, Formula 1 races and select NBA Finals games through Ultimate Rewards.
The numbers tell the story: 23% higher card usage and 31% better customer satisfaction among cardholders who use sports experiences. Chase processed north of $47 billion in Sapphire transactions last quarter, with travel and entertainment driving the bulk of that volume.
More telling? Sapphire holders average $68,000 in household income, well above Chase’s typical customer. Sports partnerships are customer acquisition gold for the demographic banks actually want.
The Logistics Game
The 2026 tournament runs June 11 through July 19 — the first World Cup spanning three countries. Key venues include MetLife (final), AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta and BMO Field in Toronto, among others scattered from coast to coast.
Chase expects to start processing applications in March 2025, giving cardholders 15 months to plan their soccer pilgrimage. Registration opens through the Chase app or Ultimate Rewards portal — assuming you can stomach the inevitable server crashes when registration goes live.
Packages must be booked using Chase points or charged to a Sapphire card. Point redemption follows the standard 1.5x travel multiplier for Reserve holders, which actually makes the math work for big spenders.
FIFA projects this tournament could crack $11 billion in revenue — the most lucrative World Cup ever. Corporate partnerships and premium hospitality comprise roughly 40% of that haul, which explains why Chase is willing to pay up for exclusive access.
The bank joins Mastercard, Coca-Cola and other global sponsors offering customer perks. Their deal covers 2026 with options for future FIFA events, including the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil — because why stop at one quadrennial goldmine?
