German Court Orders Fifa to Clean Up Ticket Sales Practices
Fifa has been handed a court injunction in Germany over the way it handles secondary ticket sales at the World Cup, according to reporting by The Guardian.
The Frankfurt regional court granted a preliminary injunction to Ticombo, a German-based online ticket resale platform, ruling that Fifa must stop facilitating ticket sales without properly informing buyers of the identity and address of commercial sellers before a purchase is completed. The governing body did not appear before the court in Frankfurt.
The injunction is limited to Germany and is unlikely to disrupt the tournament itself, which is already in its final stages. Ticombo has acknowledged it came too late to change anything at this World Cup, but the platform says it intends to pursue the matter in Switzerland and keep the pressure on Fifa ahead of the 2030 tournament, which will be hosted primarily in Spain and Portugal.
Millions Made on the Secondary Market
With ticket resale at a profit being legal in the United States — unlike in the UK — Fifa has profited heavily from its official secondary market. The governing body charges 15% commission from both the buyer and the seller, meaning it effectively earns three times from the sale of a single ticket. Prices on the resale market have soared to tens of thousands of pounds amid fierce demand.
In its submission to the Frankfurt court, Ticombo accused Fifa of using what it called “manipulative design features” on its last-minute sales platform. These included bait-and-switch pricing, where initial prices appear lower before rising steeply at checkout; a strict six-minute non-resettable countdown that locks buyers out if they fail to complete a purchase in time; automatic selection of the most expensive available seat; and concealed individual ticket prices that are only revealed after selection.
US Authorities Also Probing Fifa
The Frankfurt ruling is not the only legal headache for Fifa. The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launched their own investigation in May into ticket sales at MetLife Stadium, which is set to host the final on Sunday. Fans complained they had been misled over the location of their seats.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said fans “should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive.”
For those following the tournament, you can keep up to date with all the action via our World Cup 2026 hub and check the latest live standings as the competition reaches its climax.