Fans hoping to secure seats describe a process that feels unpredictable.
Ticket broker Barry Rudin of Barry's Tickets said the issue stems from how FIFA controls the market.
"I can tell you that FIFA is never going to be fully honest about the sales or pricing," Rudin said. "They're a business and they're treating it like a business."
That means the section you think you're buying might not be the one you end up with.
Influencer Danny Navarro helps soccer fans through his social media accounts. He claims some buyers are surprised by what happens after they pay.
"Folks were being placed in sections that they did not buy," Navarro said. "So for example, they bought category 1, they were being placed in category 2 or if initially they got placed in a category 1 seat, they've now seen the seat maps and they've seen that their seats have actually been downgraded to category 2 but they've paid category 1 prices."
"What they've done every World Cup is they've made category 1 bigger, so even though you might be getting a category 1, it's really a category 2 in some cases," Rudin said.
Experts say FIFA's approach resembles dynamic pricing models used by airlines, where costs shift in real time based on demand.
Rudin said that despite the frustration, patience may benefit fans.
"Will there be some matches that are tight? Sure. But the majority, because there's so many, are going to be easier to get tickets as it gets closer," he said.
FIFA says they are not changing ticket buyers' categories. They say the initial maps were to help fans understand where their seats could be located.
"These maps were designed to provide guidance rather than the exact seat layout, and reflect the general extent of each ticket category within the stadium," a FIFA statement said in part.
Rudin says matches involving Colombia, Brazil and the three host nations - Mexico, Canada and the United States - are expected to be the most expensive and hardest to secure. Other games should be more accessible for buyers willing to stay flexible.