New York and New Jersey Subpoena FIFA Over World Cup Ticket Practices

By WorldCup.NYC Editorial — May 28, 2026

The host region's two top law-enforcement offices are investigating how fans were charged — and what they actually received — for the eight matches at MetLife Stadium, including the July 19 final.

The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey have opened a joint investigation into FIFA's ticket-selling practices for the 2026 World Cup, issuing subpoenas to the governing body and signaling that the tournament's host region intends to scrutinize how fans were charged — and what they actually received — for one of the most expensive sporting events ever staged in the United States.

New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the subpoenas on Wednesday, with investigatory support from the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Their offices are seeking internal records on how FIFA sold tickets to the eight World Cup matches scheduled at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford — including the final on July 19.

The Allegations: Misleading Seats and "Fake Scarcity"

The investigation centers on two threads. The first is that fans were misled about the seats they were buying. The second is that FIFA's phased ticket releases and public statements helped push prices to levels that far exceeded any previous World Cup, in the attorneys general's words.

James said fans should not be manipulated into paying sky-high prices and should be able to trust that the ticket they buy is the one they receive. Davenport was more direct, describing the buying experience as a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices, and warned that hosting the tournament is not an invitation to exploit residents and visitors.

"Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated." — New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport

How the Seat Maps Changed After Fans Had Paid

The most concrete consumer-harm claim concerns the seat maps themselves. For the initial on-sale, organizers divided each stadium into four zones, including a tier reserved for the most desirable locations. According to the attorneys general, FIFA later introduced new zones — each with its own premium section — after many fans had already purchased, with the best new seats costing significantly more.

Fans who bought before the reshuffle were allegedly excluded from those newly created premium seats and instead assigned less desirable locations, including seats far from the field or behind the goals. Others have said the category they received did not match the category they paid for. For supporters planning their trip around a specific match at the MetLife Stadium venue, the complaint cuts at the heart of what a ticket purchase was supposed to guarantee.

A Pricing Curve That Kept Climbing

The 2026 edition is the first World Cup to use dynamic pricing, which adjusts the cost of a seat in real time based on demand. Between October 2025 and April 2026, FIFA raised prices on more than 90 of the 104 matches, with the three main ticket categories rising an average of 34 percent — and roughly 25 percent for matches in Mexico and Canada, according to reporting from The Athletic.

FIFA has consistently defended the prices by pointing to market demand and limited supply. President Gianni Infantino has said the organization has to look at the market and adjust to the inventory it has left. As of the announcement, FIFA had not publicly responded to the subpoenas.

What the Subpoena Actually Asks For

According to a spokesperson for the New York attorney general's office, the subpoena requests information about how FIFA allocates tickets to participating member associations, how tickets to each match are allocated, and how many tickets are available in each category. Those details would help investigators test whether the scarcity fans encountered on the public-facing platform matched the inventory FIFA actually held — the question at the core of the "fake scarcity" allegation.

Part of a Wider Regulatory Push

New York and New Jersey are not acting in isolation. California Attorney General Rob Bonta requested information from FIFA earlier in May to assess whether state law may have been violated during the sales process for matches on the West Coast. What makes the New York–New Jersey action notable is that it comes directly from the two states hosting the final, weeks before the tournament begins.

What It Means for Fans

The investigation does not pause ticket sales. FIFA's last-minute, first-come-first-served phase continues to release remaining inventory through the tournament. For local supporters, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a lottery for 1,000 tickets priced at $50 for city residents — drawn from the host committee's allocation rather than FIFA's general pool.

Practical takeaways for anyone still buying:

• Keep your purchase records. Given the seat-assignment complaints, save confirmation of the category and zone you paid for in case your allocation differs.
• Be cautious with resale. Secondary listings for marquee matches have been advertised in the five and six figures — buy only through channels you trust.
• Plan around the venue, not just the seat. Our guides to getting to MetLife, where to stay, and citywide fan zones cover the parts of the trip that do not depend on a ticket.

The Investigation at a Glance

With the tournament opening June 11 and the first of MetLife's eight matches days later, the investigation adds a legal cloud over the region's marquee venue even as host committees finish their preparations. For fans who have waited years for the World Cup to land in their backyard, the questions now being asked in two state capitals are the same ones they have been asking at the checkout screen.

Related: Full match schedule  •  Getting to MetLife Stadium  •  Where to stay  •  Fan zones