FIFA to be investigated over World Cup tickets after resale site listed them for £1.7m each
It has been reported that fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing, and FIFA’s public statements and ticket releases possibly contributing to soaring prices
FIFA’s ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup are to be investigated by prosecutors in the United States after fans were faced with tickets listed for as much as £1.7 million.
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The attorneys generals of New York and New Jersey insist FIFA must answer questions after allegations of “artificially inflating prices” and “misleading fans” over the sale of match tickets, with world football’s governing body subpoenaed to provide information.
It has been reported that fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing, and FIFA’s public statements and ticket releases possibly contributing to soaring prices.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and her New York counterpart Letitia James have specifically requested details about ticketing practices for eight World Cup matches hosted in New Jersey, including England’s group game with Panama on June 27 and the World Cup final on July 19.
Tickets for the biggest game in world football were released on FIFA's official "resale/exchange marketplace" website, with four seats available at $2,299,998.85 (roughly £1.7m each).
Buying all four of those tickets for the match on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, would set you back more than $9.2m (£6.8m).
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Tickets behind the goal are comparatively more affordable, being sold at $16,098 (£11,953).
FIFA does not control the asking prices on the resale website, but takes a 15% fee from both the seller and buyer of such tickets.
In theory, this means the governing body could earn almost $600,000 from the sale of just one seat.
Davenport said: “Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated.
“But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices – all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans.
“We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation of FIFA’s conduct, and we are proud to stand together with Attorney General James in protecting our consumers.
“It’s an honour to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors.”
Supporters have reported they were “misled” about the location of seats, including through the creation of more expensive ‘front’ category tickets released after the initial sales.
It is also alleged variable pricing through various phases and subject to demand had allowed FIFA to raise prices for about 90 of the 104 fixtures by an average of 34 per cent.
The investigation will consider how the ticket release schedule and public statements may have impacted prices.
James said: “New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard, and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets.
“No-one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive.
“I thank Attorney General Davenport for joining this effort to get answers from FIFA and protect our states’ consumers.”
New Jerseyans who have not received the World Cup tickets they paid for have been encouraged to file a complaint on the Division of Consumer Affairs website.
A FIFA spokesperson previously said: "FIFA has established a ticket sales and secondary market model that reflects standard ticket market practices for major sporting and entertainment events across the host countries.
"The applicable resale facilitation fees are aligned with industry standards across North American sports and entertainment sectors.
"FIFA's variable pricing ticketing approach aligns with industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors, where price adaptations are made to optimise sales and attendance and ensure a fair market value for events."
The Press Association has contacted FIFA for comment.