FIFA accidentally sold dozens World Cup 2026 tickets for '$0'. Now fans have 7 days to pay

FIFA has confirmed that a website checkout error resulted in dozens of fans receiving World Cup 2026 tickets without being charged. Football’s governing body told Sky News Sports that around 60 supporters had secured tickets at ‘0 USD’ because of a payment issue during the checkout process. "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," FIFA said in a statement.

However, FIFA has now asked those fans to pay the correct ticket price. "The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount," it said. FIFA added that it ‘regrets the error and any inconvenience caused’. According to an email reportedly sent by FIFA and shared online by Ticket Talk Network, affected supporters have seven days to complete payment or risk losing their tickets.

Ticket Talk Network also claimed in a post on X that the affected tickets were for group-stage matches in Toronto. The incident comes amid growing scrutiny over World Cup 2026 ticketing practices. The tournament, which will be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams and more than 100 matches. Earlier this week, officials in New York and New Jersey, hosts of eight World Cup matches, including the final, announced investigations into whether FIFA’s ticketing practices may have breached consumer protection laws.

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Attorneys general from both states have issued subpoenas seeking information about ticket sales, including concerns surrounding the use of dynamic or variable pricing. The pricing system has drawn criticism after ticket costs surged for many matches and stadium seating maps were altered, leading some fans to claim their seats were moved farther from the pitch.

FIFA also faced criticism on Thursday after introducing a last-minute policy change banning refillable plastic bottles inside stadiums.

The organisation said the move was intended to ‘prevent risk and injury to players and attendees’, but some supporters have raised concerns about fan welfare, particularly in hot weather conditions. Previously, fans had been informed they could bring an empty, transparent reusable bottle with a capacity of up to one litre. The World Cup begins on June 11 with matches in Mexico City and Guadalajara.

How much are FIFA World Cup tickets for?

The tournament final will be played at the approximately 82,000-capacity MetLife Stadium, which will temporarily operate under the name New York New Jersey Stadium during the event. As of Thursday, the cheapest ticket available for the final on the secondary marketplace SeatGeek was listed at $7,869 (£5,860), including fees. Seats located closer to the pitch were selling from around $12,820 (£9,547).

According to Goal.com, the original face value of final tickets ranged from $2,030 (£1,511) to $7,875 (£5,864), although prices are expected to fluctuate based on demand and dynamic pricing models.

How to watch and stream FIFA World Cup 2026 in India

You can watch FIFA 2026 on Zee’s new Unite8 Sports network (Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD). Multiple group-stage matches taking place simultaneously will be aired across the four channels, with English and Hindi feeds. All games will also be streamed live on the Zee5 app and website.

Link: https://www.zee5.com/