FIFA Revokes Complimentary World Cup Tickets Issued to Approximately 60 Fans Due to Pricing Error

Mispriced tickets were distributed through the official World Cup website ahead of the upcoming tournament.

Published On 5 Jun 20265 Jun 2026

FIFA has revoked World Cup tickets that were inadvertently granted free of charge to roughly 60 supporters following a pricing anomaly on its official platform.

The tickets were “allocated at a cost of 0 USD due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process,” FIFA stated in a Thursday announcement.

“FIFA regrets the oversight and any inconvenience caused,” the governing body said. “The tickets allocated to these supporters remain reserved, and they have been asked to remit payment for the appropriate price.”

This incident represents the most recent irregularity in a ticketing process that has drawn scrutiny from the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey over potential consumer‑protection violations.

FIFA confirmed that the affected tickets were sold via the official World Cup site on 21 May, according to an email sent to purchasers.

This sale occurred more than three months after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that all 104 World Cup matches had been sold out.

Tickets continue to be offered by FIFA for matches scheduled at the tournament, which is set to commence next Thursday in Mexico City. The extent to which prices for lower‑demand games may adjust under FIFA’s dynamic pricing model remains undetermined.

In addition, FIFA operates its own resale marketplace, applying a 15 percent commission to both buyers and sellers, with the aim of eliminating intermediary dealers. External platforms such as SeatGeek, however, listed extensive inventory for several matches on Friday.

Pricing for the 2026 World Cup exceeds that of prior editions, a disparity that FIFA attributes to the revenue required to support global development initiatives across member federations.

FIFA assumed direct control over ticket pricing and sales as part of its strategy to manage World Cup operations internally, moving away from reliance on host‑nation organising committees.

When the United States, Canada, and Mexico were awarded hosting rights in 2018, they pledged to make a large volume of tickets available at $21 for group‑stage matches. By contrast, FIFA listed premium final‑match seats at $32,970.

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