The curtain comes down on the 2026 World Cup with the Argentina versus Spain final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. However, even as the tournament draws to a close, the investigation into FIFA’s ticket sales practices is set to continue.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has confirmed that her investigation into ticket sales for eight World Cup matches held at MetLife Stadium will press on, according to a report published in The Athletic on Friday.
New Jersey authorities, together with New York Attorney General Letitia James, launched a joint investigation in May, alleging that FIFA artificially inflated ticket prices, altered stadium seating maps after tickets had already gone on sale, and deliberately engineered a shortage of available tickets.
Davenport explained that FIFA had initially divided the stadium seats into four categories, with Category 1 being the most desirable. However, after ticket sales had concluded, a number of new special zones were created in which the best seats were reserved. Many supporters who had purchased tickets before these new zones were introduced found themselves relegated to less desirable seats, having missed out on the newly created premium areas. There have also been complaints from fans who allege they did not receive seats in the category for which they had paid.
Similar allegations regarding FIFA’s ticket sales practices are being investigated not only in New Jersey and New York, but also in the states of California and Texas.
Meanwhile, a court in Frankfurt, Germany, has ruled that FIFA’s ticket resale policy is deceptive and constitutes an act of influence peddling. The court has also ordered a halt to the sale of FIFA tickets on the ticket resale platform Tcombo.
According to a report by Newsweek, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Matthias Grafström could face significant fines and even prison sentences if they fail to comply with the court’s order.
