World football governing body FIFA has admitted that an error on its website allowed 60 fans to purchase free tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- +FIFA website glitch opens door to free World Cup tickets for fans
FIFA has since cancelled the incorrectly priced tickets and offered the affected fans the opportunity to repurchase them at the full price.
FIFA has since cancelled the incorrectly priced tickets and offered the affected fans the opportunity to repurchase them at the full price.
“FIFA can confirm that approximately 60 fans received a communication on Wednesday, 3 June, regarding tickets that had been allocated at no charge due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process,” the organisation said, adding that it “regrets any inconvenience caused”.
Ticket Talk Network, a social media account that tracks ticketing errors and sales issues, shared a letter confirming that affected supporters have seven days to complete payment before the tickets are removed from their accounts.
The tickets involved are understood to have been for group-stage matches in Toronto.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by Canada, the United States and Mexico, kicks off on 11 June.
The incident is the latest ticketing controversy facing FIFA ahead of the tournament. Despite assurances that the World Cup would be sold out, seats remain available less than a week before the opening match.
Last week, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launched an investigation into FIFA’s ticketing practices following allegations that the organisation had been “artificially inflating prices” and “misleading fans”.
FIFA is using a variable pricing model for ticket sales, allowing prices to fluctuate throughout different sales phases based on demand and availability.
When FIFA opened its final public sales window in April, it stated that additional tickets could be released right up until kick-off.
