By Jordan Valinsky, Brynn Gingras, NCS
New York (NCS) — Astronomical prices for tickets to the upcoming World Cup soccer event have sparked an investigation by the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey.
On Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport collectively introduced that they’re subpoenaing paperwork from event organizer FIFA about its pricing practices for matches at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium.
At subject are prices and seating, with the pair saying that “fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing, and FIFA’s public statements and ticket releases may have contributed to soaring prices.”
They will examine FIFA’s ticketing course of and seat maps at MetLife (renamed New York New Jersey Stadium throughout the event) which they are saying had been modified after followers purchased tickets. Initially, the stadium was divided into 4 zones (Categories 1 by 4), with the lower-numbered zones in higher areas.
But after ticket gross sales started, FIFA created “new zones” and added a entrance part in every class. Fans complained that patrons of tickets for seats within the new zones “were excluded from those seats and instead assigned less-desirable seats, including seats far from the field or behind the goals.”
The subpoena, partly, requests data from FIFA about how tickets are allotted to taking part members, how tickets to every match are allotted and the variety of tickets out there in every class, in keeping with a spokesperson with the New York Attorney General’s workplace.
FIFA’s ticket prices for group matches within the US began at $60 for a small variety of tickets and went as much as greater than $600, in keeping with the New York Times. Face-value tickets for the ultimate had been as much as $10,990.
Fans had been already indignant in regards to the excessive prices, which shortly soared exponentially larger on resale platforms – together with $2 million for the final. (In response to the outrage, final week New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani introduced an initiative to sell $50 tickets for city residents).
“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated,” stated New Jersey AG Davenport. “But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices.”
Her counterpart, AG James, stated New Yorkers “deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets” and that “fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive.”
Lifelong soccer fan Brett Prodzinksi discovered at present’s announcement to be welcome information after he felt shorted by FIFA when buying tickets on-line final month.
After ready in a cue for hours, he stated he discovered two fascinating tickets on the Seattle stadium.
He bought the tickets for $515 every. Minutes later, he received his affirmation electronic mail and his seats had been in a very completely different spot – behind the aim, on the alternative aspect of the stadium.
“They have baited and switched their product to a lot of people. I was willing to pay what I knew would be inflated prices, but I just think they’re taking advantage of the fans,” Prodzinksi stated.
FIFA declined to remark. The group previously told NCS that its “pricing strategy spans a broad range of price points and categories, reflecting market demand for each match.”
Earlier this month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta additionally requested information from FIFA “to assess whether California law may have been violated” throughout the gross sales course of.
The 2026 World Cup might be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with video games performed throughout all three nations, and begins on June 11. The first match in New Jersey is on June 13, with a complete of 8 matches scheduled together with the ultimate on July 19.
The-NCS-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.