FIFA faces investigation by New York and New Jersey attorneys general over allegations of "artificially inflating prices" and "misleading fans" in the 2026 World Cup ticket sales. The ticket buying process has been shrouded in secrecy, with fans paying for premium seats only to receive lower-value tickets further from the pitch. Variable pricing has replaced published structures, leaving supporters guessing about actual costs until payment.

Despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino claiming "every match is sold out," independent tracking shows nearly 74,000 tickets available across 86 matches. Games featuring less popular teams like Bosnia-Herzegovina v Qatar and Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia have significant unsold inventory, while host nations' games remain largely unsold due to exorbitant pricing. Even the opening match between Mexico and South Africa still has over 500 seats available at $2,273 each.

Ticket availability has fluctuated suspiciously on FIFA's official site while increasing on secondary markets like SeatGeek. Prices for less desirable games have plummeted below face value - Jordan v Algeria tickets are 64% cheaper on resale sites compared to face value. This suggests FIFA may be selling inventory through secondary markets without reducing official prices, potentially to avoid appearing to devalue their product.