The US states of New York and New Jersey are investigating the ticketing practices of Fifa, the football governing body and organiser of the upcoming World Cup, which has been accused of exploiting fans with "impossibly high prices".
Issued on: 28/05/2026 - 17:18
2 min Reading time
The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday said they had issued Fifa with a subpoena in order to probe allegations that fans were misled about where they would be seated during World Cup games, which start on 11 June and will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They will also investigate Fifa's demand-based ticket pricing, which has resulted in prices that they said have "far exceeded" those of any previous World Cup tournament. "Fifa has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices," Jennifer Davenport, attorney general for New Jersey, said in a statement. "It's an honour to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors." Fifa's dynamic pricing system allows the cost of tickets to fluctuate based on factors including real-time demand, inventory and the predicted popularity of an event. The Football Supporters Europe fan association has called this year's World Cup tickets "extortionate", citing prices they calculated were several times higher than at the last tournament in Qatar. In a letter to Fifa last month, 70 US lawmakers called on the organisation to lower the cost of tickets, saying the pricing system had turned the tournament into "an exclusionary, profit-driven enterprise at the direct expense of fans, host communities, and public taxpayers". Conflict and controversy hang over World Cup as countdown kicks off 'Sky-high prices' The attorneys general are specifically requesting details about ticketing practices for the eight World Cup matches being played in New Jersey, and notably the the cost of attending the 19 June final at the MetLife stadium. Some fans have reported receiving tickets in a lower category than they paid for, the statement said, while others say they saw seating categories revised after they had already purchased tickets. "New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets," said New York’s attorney general, Letitia James. "No one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive." And then there were 48 ... how the World Cup has expanded since 1930 In addition to tickets, it will cost more than $100 (€86) to take public transport to the MetLife stadium from New York, while parking spaces will cost $225 (€193). Fans were initially promised tickets costing as little as $21 (€18) when the co-hosts bid for the 2026 tournament, which is expected to generate more than $11 billion (€9.4 billion) for Fifa. Following criticism, Fifa has introduced limited numbers of tickets priced at $60 (€51) and reserved for national federations whose teams are playing. In May, authorities in California also said they had contacted Fifa over possible legal violations in connection with alleged misrepresentation of seating categories. (with newswires)
