FIFA cancels free World Cup 2026 tickets issued by pricing error, offers repurchase

FIFA has cancelled ticket orders placed at no charge during a pricing glitch on FIFA.com on 21 May 2026, affecting approximately 60 fans who believed they had secured seats to this summer’s World Cup for free.

In an email sent to affected customers on 3 June, FIFA confirmed that certain tickets had been displayed and processed at inaccurate prices — including $0 — during checkout. All such orders were cancelled in line with the governing body’s Terms of Sale, with full refunds issued. FIFA said it “regrets the error and any inconvenience caused.”

To soften the blow, the organisation reserved the same tickets for each affected fan for seven days, giving them the opportunity to complete the purchase at the correct price. If payment is not made within that window, the reserved seats will be released.

“As part of these efforts, we identified and resolved an issue with ticket pricing that affected a small number of tickets sold on FIFA.com/tickets on 21 May 2026,” the email read. “This issue caused certain tickets to be displayed with inaccurate prices at checkout and in the completed transaction records.”

The episode adds further friction to an already contentious ticketing picture for the World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Prices for certain matches have run into the thousands of dollars, drawing widespread criticism from supporters and pundits alike.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing model, arguing that unprecedented demand has exceeded even the organisation’s own expectations. The controversy deepened further when US President Donald Trump publicly stated he would not pay the asking price to attend the United States’ tournament opener against Paraguay.