FIFA Tells Fans to Pay for Tickets Issued at Zero Cost Due to System Glitch

FIFA has acknowledged a ticketing error that resulted in dozens of fans receiving free tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and has asked the affected supporters to pay the correct amount or risk losing their reservations.

The world football governing body disclosed that approximately 60 fans were allocated tickets at no cost after a payment issue occurred during the checkout process.

In a statement released on Thursday, FIFA said the affected tickets were mistakenly issued at “0 USD” due to a system error.

According to the organisation, the tickets remain reserved for the fans involved, who have now been contacted and asked to complete payment for the correct value of their tickets.

FIFA apologised for the inconvenience and assured supporters that their reservations would be maintained pending payment.

Reports indicate that the affected fans have been given seven days to make payment or forfeit their tickets.

The tickets involved in the error were reportedly for group-stage matches scheduled to be played in Toronto, Canada, during the 2026 World Cup.

The incident comes at a time when FIFA is facing increasing criticism over its ticketing policies and pricing structure for the expanded tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Earlier this year, fan advocacy group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) criticised FIFA over what it described as excessive ticket prices and filed a complaint with the European Commission over the cost of attending matches.

Concerns intensified after tickets for the World Cup final were reportedly listed on FIFA’s resale platform for more than $2 million each.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, defended the pricing system, stating that the organisation was operating within United States laws governing ticket resale.

Meanwhile, authorities in New York and New Jersey have launched an investigation into FIFA’s ticketing practices to determine whether any consumer protection laws were violated.

The probe will examine allegations of significant ticket price increases across different sales phases, as well as concerns about seat availability and ticket categorisation.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 11 in Mexico, while the final will be played at the MetLife Stadium on July 19.