Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Friday, 05 June 2026 22:58 / Updated Friday, 05 June 2026 22:58
FIFA has confirmed the cancellation of some tickets for World Cup matches after an error on the official sales platform allowed some supporters to obtain tickets without paying for them.
According to information appearing in the international press, approximately 60 fans were affected by this situation, after the system validated the orders without processing the payment.
FIFA canceled tickets issued free of charge by mistake
The world forum sent an official statement that the problem was caused by a technical error that occurred during the purchase process.
“Tickets were assigned at no cost due to a previous payment problem during the checkout process. FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused“, the organization said.
However, the officials stated that the affected people did not lose their reserved seats at the matches.
“The tickets requested by these supporters remain reserved and the affected supporters have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount.”
The ticket controversy continues
The incident represents a new episode in a sale process already contested by many supporters.
According to reports in the United States, the World Cup ticketing system is under investigation by the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey, who are looking into possible violations of consumer protection laws.
Moreover, the error would have occurred on May 21, a few days after FIFA president Gianni Infantino had publicly announced that all 104 matches of the tournament were sold-out.
However, FIFA is still currently selling tickets for the competition which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The most expensive tickets in the history of the World Cup
The 2026 edition is already considered the most expensive in the history of the competition in terms of supporter access.
FIFA justifies the pricing policy by the need to generate revenue for the development of football globally, but many fans have criticized the dynamic pricing system, which can change prices based on demand.
In addition, the world forum also directly manages the official ticket resale platform, where it charges a 15% commission to both buyers and sellers.
The 2026 World Championship will begin on June 11 and end on July 19, being the first edition in history organized in three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will have an expanded format, with 48 participating teams and a record total of 104 games played.
