Bank of America, FIFA and Vet Tix announced on June 3, 2026, a partnership that will deliver $2.25 million in free FIFA World Cup 2026™ tickets to veterans, currently serving military members, first responders and their families who live in or near the tournament’s U.S. host cities.
The program will make 4,547 tickets available across all 11 U.S. host cities, covering matches from the group stage through the final. Bank of America is contributing $2 million and Vet Tix $250,000 toward the effort; 250 of the tickets are being held specifically for U.S. Men's National Team matches.
Michael A. Focareto III, speaking for Vet Tix, said the partnership is meant to give members and their families an opportunity to join the global celebration, creating lasting memories and honoring those who serve. Vet Tix said the tickets will be offered through its platform beginning with the second match played in the United States.
The initiative sits inside Bank of America’s broader role as the official bank of FIFA World Cup 2026™ and its campaign tied to America’s 250th anniversary. Bank of America also plans a BofA Fan Experience on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. as part of its tournament programming. Bank of America executives noted the company’s long record of hiring veterans and supporting wounded warriors and first responders as part of the rationale for the effort.
Eligibility is limited: honorably discharged veterans and currently serving military members register through vettix.org, while current and retired first responders register at 1sttix.org. Both programs verify members through ID.me, and Vet Tix and 1st Tix said members will receive an email alert when tickets become available on their platforms.
The restriction to people who live in or near host cities is the clearest constraint built into the giveaway. That limitation, rather than a wider public lottery, leaves many fans outside the eligible groups and raises questions about geographic allocation: how many tickets each host city will receive, and when specific tranches will be released, have not been disclosed.
Organizers say the tickets will span every stage of the tournament and that distribution begins with the second U.S. match, but the partnership announcement did not provide a city-by-city breakdown or a release schedule. Vet Tix and 1st Tix members can expect direct email notifications; everyone else will need to wait for a detailed allocation and timing from the partners.
The partnership is concrete in dollars and overall ticket count but unfinished in the practical details fans want: per-city allocations and exact release dates. Those unanswered items will determine how many veterans and first responders in each host market actually get to attend the World Cup matches being promised today.
