Furious fans who have spent thousands on World Cup tickets claim they are being scammed, as tickets are cancelled when they arrive at stadiums. Ghost tickets are being sold on reselling sites like StubHub, leaving disappointed supporters out of pocket at kick-off.
Fans Left Stranded
Hundreds of fans say they traveled to stadiums to watch a game, only to receive an email confirming their tickets were cancelled. Refunds take days to process, meaning they cannot afford alternative entry and miss the event.
England fans are now being warned about buying ghost tickets ahead of their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday.
Sky-High Prices
Tickets for the game are still available. Secondary sites like StubHub offer tickets from $867 (£648) to $9,225 (£6,900) for a ticket and meal package with VIP lounge access. Hospitality tickets on the FIFA website range from $2,430 to $3,150.
But England fans are urged to avoid StubHub. One Scotland fan said: 'I had tickets for the Haiti game. Paid $600, then on the day I got an email saying my order was cancelled. No reason. Refund in 3-5 working days, but tickets were still available at double the price. It's a scam.'
Common Practice
Another fan, Sean Durgin, posted on X: 'WARNING about StubHub. We purchased 4 FIFA World Cup tickets (France vs Senegal, June 16) for $2,189 in December. Three days before, the seller couldn't deliver. StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee offered zero replacement tickets. Same seats now at DOUBLE the price. Our $300 non-refundable parking pass? Gone. This is a deliberate bait-and-switch scheme.'
User Della added: 'Giant scam. Spent 3K on tickets, no replacements. StubHub should be run out of business. People planned trips and were cheated.'
Speculative Ticketing
The ghost tickets are sold via speculative ticketing, where sellers list tickets they don't possess. Sellers only need to deliver tickets three hours before the game and can cancel anytime. Buyers discover too late that their tickets are invalid, missing other opportunities.
StubHub did not respond to requests for comment but previously said: 'Some people have legitimate access to tickets before public sale — VIP holdbacks, artists, sponsors — but the system is opaque, making verification impossible. Real transparency in the primary market is urgently needed.'
