California questions FIFA’s possible violations in World Cup ticket sales

California has contacted FIFA over possible legal violations in the sale of World Cup tickets following allegations that some fans purchased seats in categories that were later changed, the state’s attorney general said.

The probe, which comes as supporters complain about the high prices of tickets for this year’s tournament, follows reports that football’s governing body sold tickets by categories displayed on stadium maps, but later adjusted those categories before assigning specific seats.

“Californians should be able to trust that the seats they purchase match the representations made during the sales process,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We look forward to receiving the requested information from FIFA as part of our ongoing review.”

The Athletic first reported last month that World Cup ticket buyers were accusing FIFA of “misleading” them with stadium maps that misrepresented the potential location of seats they were purchasing.

More than three million tickets to the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 and is being held in the United States (US), Canada and Mexico, were sold in four differently priced categories, based on colour-coded stadium maps shown online during the purchasing process.

But “Category 1” ticket holders were placed in sections that, at one point, were colour-coded as “Category 2,” according to the report.

In his letter to FIFA, Bonta noted that “some consumers have reported feeling deceived because the seats they were ultimately assigned belonged to a lower-tiered category based on the seating map available to them at the time of purchase”.

He requested copies and dates of when seating maps were changed, and the numbers of fans – if any – who ended up receiving inferior tickets as a result.

FIFA said that its category maps were only “indicative” and provided “guidance rather than the exact seat layout”.

The skyrocketing cost of tickets for the quadrennial tournament has already triggered a global backlash, which has left FIFA scrambling to manage the public relations fallout.

Fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has branded the World Cup pricing structure as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal,” citing ticket prices that have put the tournament – expected to help generate $13bn for FIFA – out of reach for many.

The most expensive ticket for the final in Qatar in 2022 cost about $1,600 at face value; in 2026 the most expensive face-value ticket being sold by FIFA now weighs in at an eye-watering $32,970.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the prices are appropriate for the US, which will host most of the tournament’s fixtures, including the semifinal matches and the final.