The Frankfurt regional court has granted a preliminary injunction against Fifa, ordering the governing body to cease manipulative processes in World Cup ticket sales. The ruling, requested by German online ticket resale platform Ticombo, demands that Fifa disclose the identity and address of any commercial sellers to buyers before purchase completion.
Court Orders Transparency in Secondary Ticketing
The court instructed Fifa to stop facilitating ticket sales without informing buyers of the seller's identity and address, specifically for those acting in a commercial capacity. Fifa did not appear before the court in Frankfurt, and Ticombo is now seeking to take its case to Switzerland, a process that will take time. The injunction applies only in Germany and is unlikely to affect Fifa's operations for the current tournament.
Fifa Profits from Secondary Market
Fifa has made millions from its official secondary ticketing market at this World Cup. Unlike in the UK, reselling tickets at a profit is legal in the United States, where the tournament is being held. With high demand, prices on the secondary market have reached tens of thousands of pounds. Fifa charges a 15% commission from both the seller and buyer, effectively profiting three times from a single ticket sale.
Ongoing Complaints and Investigations
There have been repeated complaints about a lack of transparency from Fifa, particularly regarding who is selling tickets and the location of seats in stadiums. In May, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launched an investigation into Fifa's ticket sales at MetLife Stadium, which will host Sunday's final, after fans complained they were misled about seat locations. New York Attorney General Letitia James stated: "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."
Ticombo's Allegations and Future Pressure
Ticombo acknowledges the injunction comes too late to affect this World Cup but aims to keep pressure on Fifa to change practices before the 2030 tournament, which will largely take place in Spain and Portugal. In its court submission, Ticombo accused Fifa of "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."
Manipulative Design Features Alleged
Ticombo also claims Fifa uses manipulative design features on its last-minute sales platform, including bait-and-switch pricing, where prices initially appear lower but rise steeply at checkout; aggressive six-minute countdown deadlines that lock buyers out if not completed; manipulative defaults like a "book the best seat" function that selects the most expensive seat; and concealed pricing, where individual ticket prices are not clearly shown until after selection. A Ticombo spokesperson said: "This historic injunction is an important legal and public-interest step for football fans. 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.
