FIFA Forced to Admit Embarrassing World Cup Ticket Blunder
An error on FIFA’s website granted free tickets to fans.
Charles Platiau/REUTERS
A handful of fans were able to get 2026 World Cup tickets for free via an error on FIFA’s website. However, those same fans will be required by FIFA to pay full price for their tickets before matches begin on June 11. “FIFA can confirm that approximately 60 FIFA World Cup 2026 fans received a communication on June 3 regarding tickets that had been allocated at no charge (0 USD),” the international football association said in a statement on X in response to another account, Ticket Talk Network, exposing an email sent to a fan who had received a free ticket. “The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount.” This ticketing scandal occurred amid an investigation by prosecutors in New York and New Jersey into FIFA “misleading fans” and “artificially inflating prices.” While the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, was anticipated by FIFA to be a sold-out tournament, tickets are still available for purchase less than a week before the event’s kickoff.
“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. The tickets requested by these fans remain…
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 4, 2026
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