Complaint against FIFA for 2026 World Cup ticket sales
Consumer organizations Euroconsumers and the fan collective Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have filed a formal complaint against FIFA with the European Commission. The reason for the accusation is the alleged abuse of dominant position in the sale of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The plaintiffs argue that FIFA has applied excessive prices and purchasing conditions that they consider opaque and unfair to fans. They point out at least six abusive practices in the ticket sales process.
- High prices.
- Misleading advertising.
- Variable fees without transparency.
- Pressure techniques to expedite the purchase.
- Double profit from commissions on the official resale of tickets.
The presented report highlights that the most economical tickets for the 2026 World Cup final have a starting price of $4,185, a figure significantly higher than the cost of the cheapest tickets for the 2022 World Cup final. Furthermore, it is reported that tickets promoted from $60 quickly sold out when they went on sale.
Organizations also criticize the dynamic pricing system, which has led to increases of up to 25% on some tickets between different sales phases. Added to this is the lack of information about the exact location of the seats at the time of purchase and the limitations on refunds.
In the complaint, the European Commission is requested to order FIFA to suspend the use of dynamic pricing for fans in the European Economic Area, freeze prices in the next sales phase, and publish in advance the number of tickets available and their location in the stadiums.
Euroconsumers, which groups consumer organizations from several countries and represents millions of users, expects European authorities to act to ensure fair prices, transparency in the sales process, and greater protection for fans wishing to attend the 2026 World Cup.
