The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey opened a joint investigation into FIFA’s ticketing practices just weeks before the 2026 World Cup begins, issuing subpoenas and probing claims the federation misled fans about seat locations and its “variable pricing” methods contributed to “soaring” ticket prices.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport sent FIFA subpoenas regarding their ticketing practices on Wednesday.
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The offices of New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport sent subpoenas to FIFA on Wednesday, with the two top prosecutors asking for details about ticketing practices for the eight matches being held in the Garden State, including the World Cup final.
The attorneys general are looking at a “range of issues” related to ticketing, according to a press release, including specifically examining reports that FIFA created a new, more expensive “front category” section in stadium areas where millions of tickets were already sold—assigning fans who already bought tickets “less-desirable seats.”
Some fans also reported paying for the highest priced tickets in what FIFA marked as Category 1—its most exclusive ticketing tier—but eventually were assigned seats further back from where they thought they’d be sitting, according to the attorneys general.
The probe will also look at FIFA’s “variable pricing” method for adjusting prices, specifically citing a report in The Athletic that detailed prices jumping by 34% since October.
FIFA declined to comment on the investigation when contacted by Forbes.
FIFA’s skyrocketing prices have faced considerable backlash over the last few months, drawing scrutiny from members of Congress and even criticism from President Donald Trump, a self-described friend of FIFA head Gianni Infantino. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” Trump told the New York Post earlier this month. Infantino has consistently defended FIFA’s ticket pricing, insisting earlier this month “we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates.”
About $2.3 million. That’s how much the most expensive World Cup tickets available on resale were listed for earlier in April. The seats were in the lower deck behind the goal for the July 19 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Associated Press reported. FIFA noted it does not control what prices sellers list tickets for on resale markets, and Infantino previously insisted, “No. 1, it doesn't mean that the tickets cost $2 million, and No. 2, it doesn't mean that somebody will buy these tickets,” before later adding “if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2 million, I will personally bring a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience."
“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated,” Davenport, a Democrat, said in a statement on Wednesday. “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.” James, also a Democrat, agreed that “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.”
ForbesTrump Says He ‘Wouldn’t Pay’ High World Cup Ticket Prices
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