Football World Cup 2026 | FIFA gets subpoena by New York and New Jersey AGs over pricing, seat placement

FIFA World Cup 2026 is nearly two weeks away from the start on June 11 but the apex soccer body has landed in soup in the United States. Two US attorneys general (New York and New Jesery) have started an investigation into FIFA's ticketing and seat allocation process - especially at MetLife Stadium which will host nine matches including the final on July 19. FIFA is facing legal scrutiny after the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey into the organisation’s ticketing and seat allocation process. The probe comes after multiple complaints from fans about inflated ticket prices and the organization misleading about the seat location. Notably, FIFA has used dynamic ticket pricing which determines the price as per demand and has ended up skyrocketing the prices.

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Why FIFA is facing probe from NY and NJ AGs?

New York attorney general Letitia James strongly criticised FIFA’s handling of ticket sales and insisted supporters "deserve transparency and fairness" when purchasing seats for global sporting events. "Consumers should know exactly what they are paying for," she said while confirming the investigation. New Jersey attorney general Jennifer Davenport also accused FIFA of "fake scarcity" of tickets to drive up the prices. Authorities are now examining whether FIFA violated consumer protection laws through misleading ticket practices and unclear communication.

What is FIFA's ticket pricing system for World Cup 2026?

One major issue centres around FIFA’s ticket pricing system. Fans complained that ticket costs changed drastically within short periods, leaving many supporters uncertain about whether they had paid fair market value. To deal with the backlash, FIFA had made cheap tickets available at $60 but those comprised only 1.6 per cent of totally tickets available.

What is seat allocation controversy?

The second controversy involves seat allocation. Some fans alleged that their original seating sections had been changed after purchase. Complaints also included downgraded views and uncertainty over exact stadium placement close to matchday. Authorities now believe thousands of fans may have been left unclear about where they would actually sit during tournament matches, prompting the investigation into FIFA’s overall ticketing process.

"Reports indicate that fans who bought tickets before these new zones were introduced were excluded from those seats and instead assigned less desirable seats, including seats far from the field or behind the goals," part of the investigation announcement read.

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 that take 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 (https://www.zee5.com/).