World Cup Ticket Scams Leave Fans Frustrated and Out of Pocket

WHO:

Business Insider - Jeroen Boersma purchased tickets for the Netherlands match in December but received a cancellation notice the day before the match.

Business Insider - Ron Levy from Washington received a notice from StubHub on June 12 that his tickets for the July 6 match would not be delivered.

Business Insider - Rozina Taguchi is negotiating with StubHub for compensation after her tickets failed to arrive.

AP News - Bina Ramroop expressed her frustration after realizing she would not attend the World Cup match she bought tickets for.

AP News - Pape Ndaw described the disappointment of his son, who cried after learning they would not attend the match.

AP News - Patrick O’Neil stated that after local media reported their situation, StubHub contacted his family to offer tickets to another game.

AP News - Bina Ramroop expressed her disappointment, stating, “I didn’t want a refund, I didn’t want my money back. I wanted to go to the game.”

AP News - Patrick O’Neil stated, “StubHub is not evil, but they’re part of the whole system that makes it really hard for just normal kids and people who might want to see a match get to go.”

AP News - Pape Ndaw expressed disappointment over his son’s graduation gift of World Cup tickets that never arrived.

AP News - Patrick O’Neil, who purchased five tickets for the Spain-Cape Verde match, shared his family's experience of only two tickets transferring successfully.

ABC News - Bina Ramroop, a fan who purchased World Cup tickets for her grandson's birthday.

ABC News - Pape Ndaw, a fan who bought tickets for his son's graduation gift.

ABC News - Patrick O’Neil, a fan who purchased tickets for the Spain-Cape Verde match.

ABC News - Scott Friedman, an industry veteran and co-founder of the Ticket Talk Network.

ABC News - Michael McCann, a sports law expert at the University of New Hampshire.

WHAT:

Business Insider - Jeroen Boersma had to buy new tickets on TickPick for more than double the price after his original tickets were canceled.

Business Insider - Ron Levy paid about $500 per ticket for his tickets, which have now quadrupled in price.

Business Insider - Rozina Taguchi is seeking financial compensation for lost work hours, travel time, and emotional distress due to her ticket issues.

AP News - StubHub confirmed it would honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets.

AP News - StubHub's penalties for sellers who fail to deliver tickets are typically 200% of the ticket price, according to Scott Friedman.

AP News - StubHub confirmed it would honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets.

ABC News - Bina Ramroop stated, “I didn’t want a refund, I didn’t want my money back. I wanted to go to the game.”

ABC News - StubHub's penalties for sellers who fail to deliver tickets are typically 200% of the ticket price, according to Scott Friedman.

AP News - StubHub confirmed it would honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets.

AP News - Pape Ndaw received an email from StubHub stating, “The seller can’t deliver your original tickets” two days before the June 14 match.

AP News - Ndaw found that last-minute tickets were going for more than $1,500 each after accepting store credit instead of a refund.

AP News - O’Neil’s family was offered tickets to another game by StubHub after local media reported their situation.

ABC News - Fans reported issues with World Cup tickets purchased through resale sites, including tickets that never arrived and last-minute cancellations.

ABC News - Bina Ramroop bought tickets for $485 each on StubHub, which could not be transferred to the FIFA ticketing app.

ABC News - Pape Ndaw bought tickets for about $550 each in December, but received an email two days before the match stating the seller could not deliver the tickets.

ABC News - StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee promises replacement tickets or a refund if tickets fail to arrive, but remedies are provided at StubHub’s “sole discretion.”

ABC News - StubHub's penalties for sellers who fail to deliver tickets are typically 200% of the ticket price.

WHERE:

ABC News - Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Spain vs. Cape Verde match took place.

ABC News - Dallas, where Pape Ndaw resides and purchased tickets.

WHEN:

ABC News - The World Cup began on June 11 and runs until July 19.

ABC News - The match between the Netherlands and Japan occurred on June 14.

WHY:

AP News - FIFA has enacted a 30% surcharge on every resold ticket sold through its marketplace, with 15% charged to both the buyer and seller.

ABC News - FIFA has enacted a 30% surcharge on every resold ticket sold through its marketplace, with 15% charged to both the buyer and seller.

AP News - StubHub stated that FIFA has “poor technology infrastructure” and enacted last-minute transfer restrictions, contributing to ticket transfer issues.

ABC News - FIFA has urged fans to buy resale tickets through its own marketplace due to issues with outside resale platforms.

ABC News - Some ticket issues stem from technical glitches in the transfer process, while others involve sellers who may not have had tickets to deliver.

HOW:

Business Insider - The structure of secondary ticket marketplaces like StubHub relies on sellers to deliver tickets, which can lead to unfulfilled orders if sellers do not have the tickets they listed.

AP News - StubHub stated that FIFA has “poor technology infrastructure” and enacted last-minute transfer restrictions, contributing to ticket transfer issues.

AP News - Experts warn that criminals are using artificial intelligence to create realistic messages and polished online storefronts for scams.

ABC News - Experts warn that criminals are using artificial intelligence to create realistic messages and polished online storefronts for scams.

AP News - StubHub confirmed it would honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets.

ABC News - Fans are advised to purchase tickets from verified sources to avoid scams, as criminals are targeting those seeking last-minute tickets.

ABC News - Scammers use urgency in their communications to pressure fans into making hasty decisions regarding ticket purchases.

(UPDATED June 20, 2026 06:19 UTC)

In a troubling turn of events, several ticket buyers have faced significant issues with their purchases from StubHub, leading to last-minute cancellations and financial losses. Jeroen Boersma had to buy new tickets for a Netherlands match at more than double the original price after his tickets were canceled, while Ron Levy's tickets for the July 6 match have quadrupled in price after he received a notice that they wouldn't be delivered. Rozina Taguchi is currently negotiating with StubHub for compensation, citing lost work hours, travel time, and emotional distress due to her tickets failing to arrive.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 21:18 UTC)

StubHub has stepped in to assist families affected by ticket transfer issues, confirming it will honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets after local media reported their situation. Meanwhile, Bina Ramroop expressed her frustration at missing a World Cup match she had tickets for, and Pape Ndaw shared the disappointment of his son, who cried upon learning they would not attend. The ticket transfer issues stem from FIFA's last-minute restrictions and a 30% surcharge on resold tickets, which has raised concerns about the organization's technology infrastructure.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 12:19 UTC)

Bina Ramroop expressed her disappointment, saying she didn't want a refund but simply wanted to attend the game. Patrick O’Neil noted that while StubHub isn't evil, the system they operate within makes it difficult for everyday fans to access matches. In response to the situation, StubHub confirmed it would send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets, while experts warn that criminals are using artificial intelligence to create convincing scams online.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 10:20 UTC)

Bina Ramroop expressed her desire to attend a game rather than receive a refund, stating, “I didn’t want my money back. I wanted to go to the game.” In a related matter, StubHub confirmed it would fulfill the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets, despite the platform's penalties for sellers who fail to deliver tickets, which can reach 200% of the ticket price. Meanwhile, FIFA has implemented a 30% surcharge on every resold ticket sold through its marketplace, with both buyers and sellers facing a 15% charge, as experts warn that criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to craft realistic messages and polished online storefronts for scams.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 08:46 UTC)

Pape Ndaw expressed his disappointment after his son's graduation gift of World Cup tickets never arrived, as he received an email from StubHub just two days before the June 14 match stating that the seller couldn't deliver the original tickets. Meanwhile, Patrick O’Neil, who purchased five tickets for the Spain-Cape Verde match, shared that only two of those tickets transferred successfully, but after local media reported their situation, StubHub offered them tickets to another game. StubHub attributed the ticket transfer issues to FIFA's poor technology infrastructure and last-minute transfer restrictions, but they confirmed they would honor the O’Neils’ request to send tickets to the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 06:42 UTC)

Fans are facing significant issues with World Cup tickets purchased through resale sites, including reports of tickets that never arrived and last-minute cancellations. Bina Ramroop bought tickets for $485 each on StubHub, but they could not be transferred to the FIFA ticketing app, while Pape Ndaw, who spent about $550 each, received an email just two days before the match stating his tickets could not be delivered. FIFA is urging fans to buy resale tickets through its own marketplace to avoid these problems, as scammers are targeting those looking for last-minute tickets, often using urgency to pressure fans into quick decisions.