The Democratic attorneys general of New York and New Jersey subpoenaed FIFA on Wednesday over high ticket prices for the World Cup and reports of soccer fans not receiving the seats for which they paid.
New York’s Letitia James and New Jersey’s Jennifer Davenport are leading the investigation.
FIFA is preparing for eight World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, starting next month. The stadium will be the venue for the final on July 19.
The blue states are scrutinizing FIFA’s dynamic pricing strategy, which adjusted ticket prices based on massive demand, and the organization’s decision to release tickets in phases.
James’s office cites a news report stating FIFA raised ticket costs for more than 90 of the 104 matches over the past six months, resulting in an average 34% increase for the three main ticket categories.
The state-level investigation will focus on whether FIFA’s ticket release schedule and public statements may have correlated with the rising prices.
Other reports detail how fans were misled about the tickets they purchased. In many instances, ticket-buyers were excluded from their seats after new zones called “front categories” were created within the four ticket categories. In other cases, people did not get their tickets for each category they chose.
FIFA declined to comment to the Washington Examiner on the newly announced investigation.
ZOHRAN MAMDANI ANNOUNCES $50 WORLD CUP TICKETS FOR NEW YORKERS
“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 purchase will be the ones they receive.”
Davenport accused the professional soccer league of turning the purchase of World Cup tickets “into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices,” warning that the tournament “is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors.”