In the most expensive World Cup in history, some fans got the deal of a lifetime. FIFA confirmed Thursday that about 60 fans purchasing tickets for the 2026 World Cup got those tickets for free due to a system error.
Unfortunately, that deal will end up being too good to be true. Those fans were sent emails Wednesday indicating they would need to pay the full expected amount in order to retain the tickets, according to a statement from FIFA Media on X.
“FIFA can confirm that approximately 60 FIFA World Cup 2026 fans received a communication on Wednesday, 3 June regarding tickets that had been allocated at no charge (0 USD) due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process. The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount. FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused,” the statement read.
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FIFA’s statement came in response to a post from Ticket Talk Network, which appeared to show a screenshot of one of the emails. The email stated that all ticket orders with “inaccurate prices” had been canceled, and that fans who got the free tickets would have seven days to pay the full amount.
Per the email, the $0 tickets were sold on May 21, with Ticket Talk Network later saying that the affected games were group stage matches in Toronto.
The error is particularly ironic given that this World Cup is the most expensive in history. FIFA is expected to bring in $11 billion in revenue from this tournament, and the tournament’s dynamic pricing has led to significant increases since tickets were first opened last fall.
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But the result has been stadiums with thousands of unsold tickets, even with a week to go before the tournament officially begins. FIFA reversed its water bottle policy and informed ticket holders that reusable water bottles will not be allowed into stadiums, in what some see as another attempt to nickel-and-dime fans.
The high prices are starting to get pushback on a state and city level. Last week, New York and New Jersey subpoenaed FIFA as part of an ongoing investigation into “sky-high” ticket costs.
Some cities are also fighting back by obtaining tickets for its citizens at reduced prices. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced in May that he had secured 1,000 tickets that would be sold to New Yorkers for $50, as determined by a lottery. On Wednesday, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced that 1,400 children (and their caretakers) would be able to attend the tournament for free after securing a bloc of tickets.
