Almost 3,000 dollars for a World Cup match? FIFA, investigated for ticket prices

FIFA will have to clarify its ticket sales practices for this year's World Cup in the face of accusations of artificially inflating prices and deceiving fans at the time of purchase. The state attorneys general of New York and New Jersey have opened an investigation into the eight World Cup matches that will be played at MetLife Stadium, including the tournament final. Currently, on the Seatpick.com portal, tickets to watch some of the matches at the New Jersey stadium are being sold for an average price of $2,790.

Authorities have indicated in a joint statement that they have requested documentation from FIFA in light of media reports. Some fans claim to have been "deceived" regarding the location of the seats they purchased and explain that certain actions may have contributed to "inflating" ticket prices.

The prosecutor's offices of the two states, which have investigators from the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, are collecting complaints about changes in seating categories, after the initial stadium division and once sales were underway, to create new, more "desirable" and expensive zones. "Reports indicate that fans who bought tickets before these new zones were introduced were excluded from these seats and were assigned less desirable seats, far from the field or behind the goals," they point out. Furthermore, other fans reported not having received tickets for the category they had paid for.

More expensive tickets than ever before

The judicial investigation also pays attention to the price of tickets, which "have exceeded those of any previous World Cup" as a result of a "variable pricing" method to adjust to demand. Furthermore, it is alleged that setting variable prices through various phases has allowed FIFA to increase the prices of about 90 out of 104 matches by an average of 34%.

"The investigation will examine whether FIFA's ticket release schedule, its public statements, and other conduct impacted prices and how," prosecutors assure. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has stated that there will be an "extensive investigation into FIFA's conduct," which is obliged to provide information on these ticketing practices.