ATLANTA — World Cup ticket buyers have reported problems with some resale purchases failing to transfer ahead of matches, leaving fans unable to access tickets they believed they had purchased through secondary marketplaces, according to reports from affected supporters and statements from ticketing companies. The issues emerged during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with several fans saying tickets bought through resale platforms did not appear in the official FIFA ticketing system.
The Associated Press reported that some fans who purchased tickets through platforms including StubHub arrived at stadiums expecting to attend matches but encountered problems completing transfers to FIFA’s ticketing app. One supporter, Bina Ramroop, told AP she had purchased tickets for a match in Atlanta but was unable to receive them through the required transfer process.
StubHub said the company was working to resolve the issues and pointed to technical challenges involving FIFA’s ticketing system, according to AP. The company also criticized restrictions around ticket transfers, saying the process created difficulties for fans using resale services. FIFA has said tickets purchased through its official marketplace are guaranteed, while details about resolving third-party resale disputes remain dependent on individual cases.
The problems have raised questions about how secondary ticket markets operate for major sporting events. Industry observers told AP that some failures may involve technical problems, while others may be linked to sellers listing tickets before they actually have possession of them. In such cases, sellers may later be unable to complete orders if ticket availability or prices change.
FIFA operates an official resale marketplace for World Cup tickets, allowing fans to buy and sell tickets through its own system. FIFA has previously said its official channels provide the most reliable method for ticket transactions, while supporters have also used outside platforms such as StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats.
Ticketing disputes have occurred alongside broader concerns about World Cup ticket access and sales processes. Earlier in 2026, FIFA’s ticketing system experienced technical issues during a sales phase, with some users reporting delays accessing available tickets, according to the Associated Press.
“We are working hard to solve this issue,” StubHub said, according to comments reported by AP regarding the transfer difficulties. FIFA has maintained that its official ticketing platform is the channel where transfers and purchases are guaranteed.
As of Sunday, June 21, 2026, affected fans were continuing to seek resolutions from resale platforms and FIFA ticketing support. The companies involved had not announced a single system-wide fix, and the number of affected buyers remained unclear.
