FIFA 'regrets' free World Cup tickets and demands fans pay up

FIFA has confirmed a website glitch has left dozens of fans getting free tickets for the World Cup 2026.

Football's world governing body told Sky News' sports correspondent Rob Harris that around 60 supporters had secured seats at "0 USD" following a checkout error.

World Cup 2026: Everything you need to know

"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," it said in a statement.

But FIFA added that, while it "regrets the error and any inconvenience caused", it is now demanding fans pay up.

"The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount," it said.

Supporters reportedly have seven days to complete payment or lose their seats, according to an email apparently from FIFA, posted online by Ticket Talk Network.

It added, in a post on X, that the affected matches "were all group stage games in Toronto".

The incident coincides with intense scrutiny of World Cup ticketing for the tournament, spanning the US, Canada and Mexico, which features 48 teams and more than 100 matches.

On Tuesday, officials in New York and New Jersey, which are hosting eight matches, including the final, announced they are investigating whether ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.

The attorneys general in both states have sent subpoenas to FIFA demanding information on a range of ticketing issues, including the use of "variable pricing".

That system has proved controversial, after ticket prices soared for most matches and redrew stadium maps, which some fans argued had meant their seats were relocated far from the pitch.

On Thursday, FIFA was under scrutiny for a different issue when it made a last-minute change to its policy and banned fans from bringing refillable plastic bottles into stadiums.

The body said the decision was made to "prevent risk and injury to players and attendees" but has raised criticism about the welfare of supporters in the heat.

Fans had previously been told they could be admitted with an empty, transparent, reusable bottle of up to one litre.

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The World Cup kicks off 11 June with matches in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico.

The final will be held at the roughly 82,000-seat MetLife Stadium, temporarily renamed New York New Jersey Stadium.

On Thursday, the cheapest ticket for the final on SeatGeek, a secondary market website, was $7,869 (£5,860), including fees. Closer to the pitch, ticket prices were on sale from around $12,820 (£9,547).

The initial face value of seats for the final ranged from between $2,030 (£1,511) to $7,875 (£5,864), according to goal.com, although it added that ticket prices are likely to fluctuate regularly due to dynamic pricing and demand.

(c) Sky News 2026: FIFA 'regrets' free World Cup tickets and demands fans pay up