FIFA has cancelled World Cup tickets that were mistakenly issued for free to around 60 fans because of a technical error on its ticketing website. The affected tickets were sold through FIFA's official platform on May 21, but due to a checkout problem, some buyers were not charged for their purchases.
The governing body informed the affected fans that their tickets would not be valid unless the correct payment was completed. FIFA said the seats have been reserved and buyers have been given the opportunity to pay the proper amount.
“FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused. The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount," football's ruling body said. “FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused."
The incident is the latest controversy involving FIFA's World Cup ticket sales process. The ticketing programme is already under scrutiny, with the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey investigating whether certain practices may have violated consumer protection laws.
The mistake also came months after FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated that all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup had sold out. Despite that claim, tickets for several matches are still available through FIFA's official sales channels.
Ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup have drawn criticism from fans, with many pointing out that they are significantly higher than in previous editions of the tournament.
FIFA has defended the pricing strategy, saying the additional revenue will help fund football development programmes around the world.
The organisation is also running its own resale platform, where it charges commission fees on both buyers and sellers. While FIFA says the system is designed to reduce the influence of ticket touts, tickets continue to be widely available on other resale marketplaces.
When the United States, Canada and Mexico won hosting rights in 2018, organisers had promised that hundreds of thousands of group-stage tickets would be available for as little as $21. However, prices for many matches are now considerably higher.
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