FIFA has asked around 60 fans to pay for World Cup 2026 tickets that were mistakenly issued free of charge because of a technical error during the online checkout process, the governing body said.
The affected supporters received notifications on June 3 informing them that tickets had been allocated at no cost because of a payment processing problem on FIFA’s ticketing platform. FIFA said it regretted the error but would require payment to complete the purchases.
The tickets remain reserved for the fans involved, who have been invited to settle the outstanding amount. Reports said supporters have seven days to complete payment or risk losing their seats.
The incident comes as FIFA faces increased scrutiny over its ticketing system ahead of the expanded 48 team World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ticket pricing and distribution have drawn criticism from supporters and consumer advocates in recent months.
FIFA apologized for the mistake and any inconvenience caused, describing the issue as a payment error rather than a deliberate promotion or giveaway.