FIFA Faces Criticism Over Delayed Payments for World Cup Ticket Resales

World Cup 2026 ticket holders are owed thousands of pounds by FIFA for tickets they resold on the tournament's official marketplace, as revealed by BBC Sport.

According to FIFA's terms, payments should be processed within 60 calendar days of a transaction. However, several individuals who sold tickets on the website in early October have yet to receive their funds.

FIFA, which has faced scrutiny over its World Cup ticket pricing, declined to provide a statement addressing the payment delays.

Sources indicate that the delays are due to FIFA needing to gather additional bank details from those affected before they can process payments.

The tickets in question were part of a pre-sale draw that took place for ten days in September, during which one million tickets were made available exclusively to Visa cardholders. The total number of fans impacted by this issue remains unclear.

Iain, an England supporter, is awaiting nearly £650 for a ticket he sold 65 days ago for Canada’s opening game in Toronto. He had intended to use the funds for purchasing seats for England’s matches, now that the fixtures have been confirmed.

“FIFA is generating billions from this World Cup but can’t seem to process payments on time,” he stated. “The delay appears to be affecting many people.”

'Owed more than £8,000'

A Mexico fan, who wished to remain anonymous, provided evidence showing he is owed more than £8,000 for sales that occurred over 60 days ago. “It’s frustrating; they just seem to be fumbling around,” he commented. “I’ve had to transfer funds to pay off my credit card.”

Several affected individuals reported receiving an email from FIFA last month requesting their bank details, despite earlier communications indicating that refunds would be automatically processed to their original payment method.

FIFA’s resale marketplace launched on October 2, allowing ticket holders to list their seats at prices of their choosing. The governing body retains a 15% fee from both buyers and sellers.

While the main ticket ballot is scheduled to open on December 11, some fans who secured tickets during the earlier sales phase—before the World Cup draw—have already resold their tickets on the platform. Concurrently, many tickets are also being offered on unofficial resale sites.

FIFA has cautioned against using third-party platforms, asserting that its own marketplace is designed to protect against invalid or unauthorized resales.

Earlier this week, FIFA announced the introduction of a limited number of “more affordable” tickets priced at $60 (£45) for all 104 matches in the tournament. This decision follows criticism regarding ticket prices, with the cost of attending the World Cup final reaching up to £6,615.

FIFA Faces Criticism Over Delayed Payments for World Cup Ticket Resales

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