FIFA said Tuesday it had been deluged with requests for 17 million tickets for the World Cup finals in the first round of sales.

Demand was highest from the Qatar hosts of the controversial tournament in November-December but that it had been "inundated" with requests from Argentina, Brazil, England, France, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Some 1.8 million tickets were sought just for the final which will be held in the 80,000 seat Lusail stadium in Doha on December 18, the world body said.

Just over two million tickets for the first World Cup in an Arab country will be available in all.

FIFA, which hopes to make more than $500 million from tickets, broadcasting rights and other World Cup commercial revenues, said fans who were successful in a computer lottery would be told by March 8.

Applications for tickets started on January 19 and closed on Tuesday. FIFA said it will be checking the applications before tickets are allocated.

The world body said it would decide on the timing of a "first come, first served phase" of ticket sales depending on what is still available.