The groups highlight various alleged abusive practices, such as a lack of transparency regarding ticket categories and seat allocation, a “variable pricing” system that can increase prices over time, and the limited availability of tickets initially advertised from $60.
“When you buy that ticket, you don’t actually know what you’re buying,” Armangau stated.
“It means attending the 2026 World Cup has become financially inaccessible for most ordinary supporters,” she added, noting that tickets to the final now start at over $4,000.
Fans may also encounter additional costs, like resale fees of around 15 percent, according to the complaint. The groups accuse FIFA of employing “dark patterns” — design and marketing strategies that create false urgency — to pressure fans into purchasing tickets.
The filing comes as FIFA faces mounting pressure in Brussels.
In a recent interview with POLITICO, EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef warned about the safety risks for fans traveling to the 2026 World Cup, expressing concerns related to the war in Iran. He noted that FIFA has yet to provide renewed assurances for fans, emphasizing that “since one of the hosts of this major sporting event is involved in a war, it’s only legitimate that assurances are given.”
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