The Texas Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday it has opened an investigation into FIFA‘s World Cup ticket sale practices following complaints alleging fans were misled about seat locations for matches to be played in Dallas and Houston.
Attorney General Ken Paxton said that fans were “misled” regarding the location of the seats they were purchasing, in what could constitute a violation of Texas consumer protection laws.
In a news release, Paxton said the office heard a report from a fan who bought “Category 1” seats, expecting premium views of the field. However, FIFA later adjusted the seat maps to “Category 2” and a lower tiered zone.
“I will work to ensure that FIFA is engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly,” Paxton said in a news release. “Sports have a unique power to bring people together, and FIFA must understand that Texans take their competition — and their consumer right — seriously.”
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Similar investigations are underway in California and New York regarding FIFA’s ticket sales policies.
Last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to FIFA requesting information about ticket sales for World Cup games in California, including how seating categories were marketed and how seats were assigned. Matches will be played at both SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Meanwhile in New York and New Jersey, state prosecutors issued subpoenas to FIFA regarding high ticket prices.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a news release last month that their offices are seeking internal information about how FIFA sold tickets to eight World Cup matches scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on July 19.
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“New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard, and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets,” James said in a statement. “No one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchased will be the ones they receive.”
FIFA declined ESPN’s request for comment.
FIFA’s ticket prices have “far exceeded the prices for any previous World Cup tournament,” according to the joint announcement by the attorneys general.
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This is the first World Cup in which FIFA has used dynamic pricing, adjusting ticket prices based on demand, and fan complaints about high ticket prices have dominated the headlines. One fan organization accused FIFA of “a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup” in December.
The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey cited news reports that found FIFA raised the price of tickets for most of the 104 World Cup matches between October and April, with prices for the three main ticket categories rising on average by 34%.
Tickets for the final, to be played at MetLife Stadium in New York, have an average cost of $11,790, according to the website SeatPick.com.
