The football festival is coming. From June 11 to July 19, 48 selections will meet in the United States, Canada and Mexico to compete in the 23rd edition of the World Cup, the first organized with an expanded format. But a few weeks before kick-off, the ticketing continues to be controversial.
Already criticized for the explosion in ticket prices with some tickets for the final having reached dizzying amounts on resale platforms, the competition is now facing new accusations concerning the marketing of tickets. There have been allegations of questionable ticket sales practices.
According to Foot MercatoCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to FIFA’s legal department on Thursday seeking detailed explanations on the terms of ticket sales. The objective would be to determine whether certain practices could violate California law.
A categorization system that questions
At the heart of the questions: the seat categorization system. The International Football Federation would have initially marketed tickets according to specific zones in the stadiums before modifying certain seat classifications before the final allocation. When they went on sale, several million tickets were divided into four price categories.
Supporters who paid the most expensive seats thought they would benefit from privileged locations, close to the pitch or located in the central stand. However, many buyers would have ultimately discovered seats placed behind the goals or near the corners, fueling the anger of several fans in the run-up to the World Cup.
