FIFA has acknowledged that dozens of fans received free World Cup tickets due to a website glitch. FIFA has also now warned those fans that they must pay for them within seven days or risk losing their seats.
“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 to Sky News.
The governing body also said that it “regrets the error and any inconvenience caused,” and that “the tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount.”
According to an email purportedly from FIFA that Ticket Talk Network released online, these fans have seven days to submit payment. If they don’t, the tickets could be rescinded.
The distribution of World Cup tickets has been the subject of controversy
In other World Cup ticketing news, New York and New Jersey officials said on Tuesday that they are looking into whether ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws. FIFA has received subpoenas from the attorneys general of both states requesting information on several ticketing-related matters, including the use of “variable pricing.”
Meanwhile, some World Cup tickets are still being handed out for free. The Saudi Arabian football association has stated that its supporters will receive complimentary tickets during the tournament.
“On this occasion, Saudi Arabia is offering free tickets for Saudi National Team fans present in the U.S. We wish our national team the best of luck as it represents the Kingdom with pride, passion, and the full force of a nation behind them,” the association said.
It is interesting that the move by the Saudi Arabian football association isn’t in violation of the World Cup ticketing policy, but a spinal cord injury charity was forced to cancel a raffle for tickets because, according to a FIFA representative, World Cup tickets are issued as “personal, revocable licenses.”
“These provisions are intended to protect the integrity and fair allocation of tickets, ensure that access is provided through controlled and secure channels, and safeguard the commercial rights that underpin the organization and delivery of the FIFA World Cup,” the representative stated.