A German court has issued an injunction against Fifa, instructing the organization to halt what it termed “to cease facilitating ticket sales without informing buyers of the seller’s identity and address [specifically for sellers acting in a commercial capacity] in a timely manner prior to the buyer completing their purchase” in the sale of World Cup tickets. This ruling by the Frankfurt regional court follows a request from Ticombo, an online ticket resale platform based in Germany, which demands greater transparency regarding the identities and locations of commercial ticket sellers.
The court mandated that Fifa must “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.” This injunction is limited to Germany and is not expected to significantly impact Fifa’s operations related to the tournament. Notably, Fifa did not appear at the hearing in Frankfurt, while Ticombo plans to pursue further legal action in Switzerland, a process that may take time.
Fifa has profited immensely from its official secondary ticketing market during the World Cup. Unlike countries such as the UK, where such resale practices are heavily regulated, the sale of tickets for profit is permissible in the US. This has led to exorbitant prices on the secondary market, with tickets selling for tens of thousands of dollars. Fifa benefits by charging a 15% commission from both buyers and sellers, effectively earning revenue multiple times from a single ticket sale.
In addition to the high costs, fans have raised concerns over Fifa’s lack of transparency, particularly regarding ticket sellers and seat locations. In May, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey initiated their own investigation into Fifa’s ticket sales at MetLife Stadium, which will host the final on Sunday. This inquiry was prompted by complaints from fans who felt misled about their seat placements.
“systematically concealing the identity and any possible trader status of its sellers to allow commercial entities to operate as undisclosed traders selling ticket allocations at heavily inflated prices” stated New York’s attorney general, Letitia James.
Ticombo acknowledges that the injunction may come too late to affect this World Cup but aims to maintain pressure on Fifa to revise its practices ahead of the next tournament in 2030, most of which will take place in Spain and Portugal.
In its court submission, Ticombo accused Fifa of “manipulative design features” The platform also alleged that Fifa employs “This historic injunction is an important legal and public-interest step for football fans,” on its last-minute sales platform, which include:
- Bait-and-switch pricing, where initial prices appear significantly lower until consumers proceed with their purchase, at which point prices escalate dramatically at checkout.
- Imposing strict, non-resettable six-minute countdowns that lock buyers out of the purchase if not completed in time.
- Manipulative defaults, such as a “We initiated this legal action to establish that transparency, fairness, and consumer rights must remain central standards in the ticketing industry, including for the world’s largest sporting events.” function, which automatically selects the most expensive seat available, limiting consumer choice.
- Concealed pricing, where individual ticket prices are not clearly displayed until after a selection has been made.
“This historic injunction is an important legal and public-interest step for football fans,” said a spokesperson for Ticombo. “We initiated this legal action to establish that transparency, fairness, and consumer rights must remain central standards in the ticketing industry, including for the world’s largest sporting events.”
Fifa has been approached for comment.
