New York and New Jersey Launch Investigation Into FIFA Over 2026 World Cup Ticketing Practices

According to Le Parisien, the Attorneys General offices of New York and New Jersey announced on Wednesday that they have officially launched an investigation into FIFA over alleged “ticketing practices” related to ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The tournament is set to kick off on June 11. In a joint statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said: “Recent media reports suggest that fans may have been misled about seat locations when purchasing tickets, while FIFA’s public statements and ticketing system may also have contributed to soaring ticket prices.”

Authorities from both states have requested detailed information from FIFA regarding ticket sales, particularly for the eight matches scheduled at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, including the final on July 19.

One of the key issues under investigation is that some fans were allegedly assigned seats inferior to the category they had originally purchased, resulting in a significantly worse viewing experience than expected.

The two Attorneys General stated that the situation has raised serious concerns over ticketing transparency and the reliability of FIFA’s seating classification system.

This is not the first time FIFA’s ticketing process has come under official scrutiny. In mid-May, California Attorney General Rob Bonta also asked FIFA to explain potential “misleading business practices,” citing an investigative report by The Athletic. He additionally urged California residents who believed they had been misled to file complaints.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup expands to 48 teams for the first time and is jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, ticket prices have remained a major source of controversy. Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has even accused FIFA of “exploitation” and a “major betrayal.”

FIFA responded to the criticism in April, stating that the stadium seating maps published during ticket sales were only “illustrative” and could be subject to later adjustments.