Fifa cancels free World Cup tickets issued to 60 fans after website pricing error

Fifa has cancelled World Cup tickets issued free of charge to approximately 60 fans after a website error on 21 May caused the official ticketing platform to process purchases at zero dollars, the governing body confirmed on Thursday.

In a statement, Fifa said the tickets were “allocated at no charge (0 USD) due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process,” adding that it “regrets the error and any inconvenience caused.” The affected fans have been told their seats remain reserved and that they are “invited to complete payment of the correct amount.”

The incident is the latest flashpoint in a ticketing programme already facing formal scrutiny. The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey have opened investigations into potential breaches of consumer protection laws related to how Fifa has sold and priced tickets for the tournament, which begins next Thursday in Mexico City.

The 21 May error occurred more than three months after Fifa president Gianni Infantino declared all 104 matches completely sold out. Despite that announcement, Fifa has continued to make tickets available through its own channels, and platforms such as SeatGeek were still showing widespread availability for numerous games as of Friday. It remains unclear whether prices for less-attended matches will fall under Fifa’s controversial surge pricing model.

Fifa also runs its own resale platform, charging a 15 per cent commission on both buyers and sellers — a structure the organisation says is designed to eliminate unofficial ticket dealers.

Tickets for the 2026 edition are the most expensive in World Cup history. Fifa has defended the pricing by arguing the revenue will be distributed to member federations to fund grassroots development worldwide. The elevated costs represent a significant departure from commitments made when the United States, Canada, and Mexico were awarded hosting rights in 2018, when the three federations pledged to offer hundreds of thousands of group-stage tickets at $21 each.

The controversy also reflects a broader structural shift: Fifa has brought World Cup commercial operations, including ticketing, entirely in-house for 2026, moving away from the traditional model of working alongside host nations’ local organising committees.