Free World Cup tickets scrapped as football’s governing body admits it ‘regrets mistake’

People line up against a video screen during the opening of the World Cup trophy tournament in Vancouver (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) FIFA has canceled World Cup tickets that were mistakenly issued free to around 60 fans due to a technical error on its ticketing website. The affected tickets were sold through FIFA’s official platform on May 21, but due to an issue with the box office, some buyers were not charged for their purchases.The governing body has informed affected fans that their tickets will not be valid unless proper payment is made. FIFA said the seats were reserved and buyers were given the opportunity to pay the proper amount.“FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused. The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved and the affected fans have been asked to pay the correct amount,” football’s governing body said. “FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused.”The incident is the latest controversy surrounding the FIFA World Cup ticketing process. The ticketing program is already under scrutiny, with the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey investigating whether some of the practices may have violated consumer protection laws.The mistake also came months after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup had been sold out. Despite this claim, tickets for several matches are still available through FIFA’s official sales channels.Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have drawn criticism from fans, with many pointing out that they are significantly higher than previous editions of the tournament. FIFA defended the pricing strategy, saying the additional revenue would help fund football development programs around the world.The organization also operates its own resale platform where it charges commissions from both buyers and sellers. While FIFA says the system is designed to reduce the influence of ticket bidding, tickets continue to be widely available in other sales markets.When the United States, Canada and Mexico won hosting rights in 2018, organizers promised that hundreds of thousands of group stage tickets would be available for as little as $21. However, the prices of many matches are now significantly higher.