New Jersey and New York launched an investigation into FIFA's ticketing prices and practices for the upcoming World Cup tournament.
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On Wednesday, May 27, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and New York Attorney General Letitia James sent subpoenas to FIFA seeking information about its ticketing practices following reports which indicated that fans were possibly misled about the locations of the seats they purchased. The reports also stated that FIFA's public statements and ticket releases may have contributed to rising prices.
The subpoenas specifically request details about FIFA's ticketing practices for eight World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the World Cup final on July 19, 2026.
“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices – all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans,†Attorney General Davenport said. “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation of FIFA's conduct, and we are proud to stand together with Attorney General James in protecting our consumers. It's an honor to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors.â€
The investigation will look into allegations from fans who claimed they were misled about where the seats they bought would be located. During the initial 2026 World Cup ticket sales, FIFA's seat maps divided stadiums into four zones that were named Category 1 through Category 4, with Category 1 having seats in the most desirable location. Officials say FIFA created new zones after many fans had already bought tickets, however. Those new zones, labeled Front Categories 1 through 4, included tickets for the most desirable seats within each Category and cost significantly more money, officials said.
Reports indicated that fans who bought tickets before the new zones were created were excluded from those seats and instead assigned less desirable seats, including areas that were far from the field or behind the goals, officials said.
Some fans also claimed they never received tickets in the Category they paid for and that although they selected and paid for Category 1 tickets, they were assigned seats further back in Category 2 areas, officials said.
The attorneys general will also investigate FIFA's ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup matches which they say far exceed prices for previous World Cup tournaments. FIFA used “variable pricing†to adjust ticket prices based on demand and prices for some matches skyrocketed as the tickets were released in phases over the past few months, investigators said.
According to the New York Times, between October 2025 and April 2026, FIFA raised the price of tickets for more than 90 of the 104 World Cup matches with prices for the three main ticket categories rising on average by 34%. The attorneys general will investigate FIFA's ticket release schedule, public statements and other actions that may have impacted the prices.
“New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard, and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets,†Attorney General James said. “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. I thank Attorney General Davenport for joining this effort to get answers from FIFA and protect our states' consumers.â€Â
NBC10 reached out to FIFA for a response.
“Kindly note FIFA declines to comment,†a spokesperson wrote.
