FIFA has admitted to a ticketing malfunction that mistakenly issued complimentary tickets to a small group of supporters for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and is now requiring them to pay the correct fares or risk losing their reservations.
The world football governing body confirmed that around 60 fans were unintentionally assigned tickets priced at “0 USD” following a technical payment error that occurred during the checkout process.
In a statement shared on its X account on Thursday, FIFA stated, “FIFA can confirm that approximately 60 FIFA World Cup 2026 fans received a communication on Wednesday, 3 June, regarding tickets that had been allocated at no charge (0 USD) due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process.”
Although the organisation expressed regret over the incident, it clarified that the affected tickets remain valid and have not been cancelled, but holders must now settle the outstanding payments to retain access.
“The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount,” the organisation said.
Reports indicate that the impacted supporters have been given a seven-day window to complete payment, failing which their ticket allocations will be withdrawn.
The glitch was initially highlighted by Ticket Talk Network, which reported that the tickets involved were for group-stage fixtures set to be played in Toronto, Canada.
The incident comes at a time of heightened attention on FIFA’s ticketing policies ahead of the expanded 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In May, FIFA faced backlash after fan advocacy group Football Supporters Europe criticised its pricing model, describing it as “extortionate” and calling it a “monumental betrayal”.
The same group also initiated legal action against FIFA in March by filing a complaint with the European Commission over what it termed “excessive ticket prices”.
That lawsuit followed listings on FIFA’s official resale platform, FIFA Marketplace, where four tickets for the July 19 final in New York were reportedly listed at over $2 million each.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, however, defended the pricing approach, stating that it aligns with United States regulations that allow secondary ticket sales at significantly higher market-driven values.
Meanwhile, authorities in New York and New Jersey launched an investigation on Tuesday into whether FIFA’s ticketing system breaches consumer protection laws.
The probe will examine claims that prices for about 90 of the tournament’s 104 matches increased by an average of 34 per cent across different sales phases.
Officials are also assessing allegations that fans were misled about seating categories and availability, particularly after the introduction of higher-priced “front” category tickets after sales had already begun.
Investigators have further requested clarification from FIFA on why 2026 World Cup ticket prices exceed those of previous editions of the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to begin on June 11, with opening matches in Mexico City and Guadalajara, while the final will be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
