The 2026 World Cup has brought immense excitement to football fans globally, but for many, the dream of attending matches has turned into a nightmare due to ticket resale issues. Fans who purchased tickets through resale platforms like StubHub, Vivid Seats, and SeatGeek have reported numerous problems, including missing tickets and exorbitant last-minute prices.
This issue has not only dampened the spirits of eager supporters but also raised questions about the reliability of secondary ticket markets and the responsibility of governing bodies like FIFA.
Fans Left Empty-Handed on Match Day
One of the most heartbreaking stories comes from John McNicholas a 65-year-old fan who traveled from New Jersey to Boston to watch the Scotland vs. Morocco match. After spending over $1,200 on two seats and driving for four hours, McNicholas learned that his tickets never arrived. Despite his efforts to resolve the issue with StubHub customer service, nothing could be done to secure his entry to the stadium.
McNicholas’ friend, David Wain who had flown in from England, shared in the disappointment. The two held out hope until halftime, but ultimately, they had to accept that they wouldn’t be able to watch the match live. “We hung around because we thought, well, somebody may be able to solve it at the last minute,” McNicholas said. “But nothing occurred.”
The StubHub Controversy
Many of the complaints have been directed at StubHub, one of the largest platforms for ticket resales. Fans have reported similar troubles with Vivid Seats and SeatGeek, adding to the growing list of controversies surrounding World Cup tickets. These issues include sky-high prices and seating chart confusion.
In response to the backlash, StubHub attributed the problems to FIFA’s “ticketing infrastructure,” citing significant performance issues with FIFA’s app that affected transfers across all resale platforms. FIFA, however, disputed these claims, stating that it has no visibility or control over secondary market ticket transactions carried out on third-party platforms.
The Financial and Emotional Toll
Brad Michel from San Antonio, Texas, purchased three premium seats near center-field on StubHub for roughly $15,600 in. The tickets were for the Netherlands vs. Sweden match in Houston, which he planned to attend with his 12-year-old son and his father-in-law from Sweden. When two of his tickets never showed up, StubHub offered replacement seats, but Michel found them unacceptable.
“They were gonna swap me my premium midfield, close-to-the-pitch seats, and they wanted me to trade or swap ticket-for-ticket with no additional refund, these nosebleed tickets or behind the goal,” Michel said. “I told them, ‘No way. I’m not taking those.'” Michel and his family ended up watching the match on TV at their Airbnb, with Michel still hoping for a refund as of Thursday night.
Brett Romas flew from Alberta, Canada, to Houston to attend the Portugal vs. Uzbekistan match with his 13-year-old son, a major fan of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. However, StubHub sent him tickets for the England vs. Ghana match in Boston instead. After a sleepless night trying to fix the issue, Romas received a refund offer from StubHub. He then purchased new tickets through FIFA, but by then, the cost had skyrocketed, forcing him and his son to sit separately during the game.
Broader Implications
The issue of missing tickets is not unique to the World Cup and has occurred at other live events. John Breyault vice president at the National Consumers League, explained that this often results from ticket resellers listing seats for sale before they actually possess them, a practice known as speculative ticketing.
While major ticketing companies offer refunds when tickets fall through, Breyault argued that this is cold comfort for fans who looked forward to the event and spent money on travel and lodging. “A refund, particularly for an event like the World Cup which is once in a lifetime, is not gonna cut it for most fans,” he said. “They want to get in and see the game as they thought they were going to.”
For McNicholas, the entire ordeal has left him feeling bitter about FIFA and secondary resale markets. “We’ve spent so much time, money and effort to get where we’re at — to actually just have the carpet pulled away from under us is a major disappointment,” he said.
