James, Davenport Subpoena FIFA Over World Cup Ticket Pricing Practices
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport have launched a joint investigation into FIFA's ticket sales practices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, issuing subpoenas to the governing body as part of the probe. The two officials announced the action on Wednesday, citing concerns over misleading seat location disclosures and prices widely reported to exceed $1,000 per ticket.
"Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices - all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans," Davenport said in a statement. The investigation covers the full range of consumer complaints stemming from FIFA's ticketing process, including allegations that buyers were misled about the precise location of their seats within venues.
The geographic scope of the inquiry reflects the tournament's footprint in the region. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is scheduled to host multiple matches, including the final on July 19. The 2026 World Cup opens on June 11 with a match between Mexico and South Africa. The tournament spans venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico - the first edition of the competition held across three nations.
The probe adds institutional weight to criticism that has already reached the White House. President Donald Trump publicly addressed the pricing issue earlier this month, saying of a reported figure above $1,000: "I did not know that number. I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you." With subpoenas now issued, FIFA faces legally binding demands for information from two of the country's most populous states ahead of a tournament it is staging on U.S. soil for the first time since 1994.
