FIFA Subpoenaed Over World Cup Ticket Manipulation Claims
The Guardian reported Wednesday that the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey have jointly subpoenaed FIFA over alleged FIFA ticket manipulation tied to the 2026 World Cup. The probe centers specifically on matches scheduled at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Two Officials, One Target
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the investigation together on Wednesday. James focused on allegations that fans were misled about their seat locations when purchasing tickets. She argued that buyers should be able to trust they receive exactly what they paid for. Davenport went further, directly accusing FIFA of practicing what she called “fake scarcity.” Her allegation holds that FIFA deliberately withheld large blocks of tickets from public sale to artificially inflate prices on remaining inventory. This marks the first time a law enforcement authority with direct jurisdiction has formally leveled that charge. New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Samuel A. A. Levine also joined the announcement, stating that FIFA’s reported conduct could breach city consumer protection law. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill separately voiced support for the investigation.
Background: Dynamic Pricing Backlash
FIFA introduced dynamic pricing for the 2026 tournament, its first time using the model for a World Cup. The mechanism allows prices to fluctuate with demand, but critics argue it consistently pushes costs higher rather than lower. Average ticket prices have remained above $1,000 since sales opened, despite FIFA listing a nominal price floor of roughly $60 per ticket. An earlier Guardian analysis found that the cheapest available seats saw the steepest proportional price increases. In response to mounting criticism, FIFA released a limited batch of discounted tickets in December under a Supporter Entry Tier scheme. Those tickets were capped at $60 each but accounted for just 1.6% of total inventory.
MetLife Stadium at the Center
The investigation targets MetLife Stadium specifically because it carries the greatest symbolic weight in the tournament. The venue is slated to host eight matches, including the July 19 final. Eight games means eight rounds of ticket sales, eight opportunities for pricing practices to compound. The subpoena seeks detailed documentation of how FIFA structured and communicated ticket availability for those fixtures. The legal pressure arrives less than two weeks before the tournament opens across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Read Next: What Dynamic Pricing Really Means for Sports Fans
