FIFA Probed Over World Cup Tickets

Afternoon Edition

May 27, 2026

New York attorney general Letitia James and New Jersey attorney general Jennifer Davenport said they subpoenaed FIFA over concerns about misleading ticketing practices for the World Cup. The joint investigation is looking into issues like dynamic pricing and people receiving different seats than they thought they were buying for games at MetLife Stadium, which will host eight matches including the July 19 final.

—Ben Horney

First Up

President Donald Trump said he plans to attend a Knicks game at MSG next month. Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals will be June 8 and 10. Read the story.
Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell introduced a broad bipartisan college sports bill called the Protect College Sports Act. Read the story.
NJ Transit will not adjust its World Cup plans to accommodate a Knicks playoff game, the agency tells FOS. Read the story.
First at FOS: FanDuel’s media arm is adding a new show for the World Cup featuring three former U.S. men’s national team coaches. Read the story.

New York, New Jersey Subpoena FIFA Records Over World Cup Ticket Prices

The Record

The New York and New Jersey attorneys general have subpoenaed FIFA over concerns about misleading ticketing practices that have led to exorbitant prices for matches that will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The announcement from New York attorney general Letitia James and New Jersey attorney general Jennifer Davenport comes as part of a probe into how FIFA has been handling ticket sales for the men’s World Cup. Specifically, the AGs are looking into ticketing practices for the eight matches that will be held at MetLife, including the World Cup final on July 19. They are also looking into FIFA’s use of a dynamic pricing model, under which the cost of tickets change in real time based on demand and availability.The AGs are being supported in their investigation by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.

“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 Wednesday’s statement announcing the probe. “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.”

“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated,” added Davenport. “But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices – all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans.”

FIFA has come under fire from fans and politicians—even U.S. President Donald Trump suggested prices are too high when asked by the New York Post this month about $1,000 tickets to watch the U.S. men’s national team face Paraguay in its opening match in Los Angeles.

During a “limited” drop a few weeks ago, FIFA had a ticket to the final listed for nearly $33,000 on its official platform. Those limited drops, which began in April, have left fans waiting long hours in the virtual queue to find limited availability for games and high prices, especially for host nations. Fans have also reported being misled about the locations of the seats they were buying, the AGs said.

Citing “press reports,” they said between October 2025 and April 2026, FIFA “raised the price of tickets for more than 90 of the 104 World Cup matches, with prices for the three main ticket categories rising on average by 34%.”

Amid the soaring prices, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced last week that he negotiated 1,000 tickets from FIFA that will cost residents only $50 each. Those represent the cheapest tickets for the entire World Cup distributed through FIFA (not a secondary resale site), and the only cheap-ticket program negotiated by a host region’s government for the 2026 tournament. In past World Cups, FIFA allocated a portion of affordable tickets to local residents.

FIFA declined to comment.

Off the Field, the Standard Stays the Same

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ONE BIG FIG

Grand Slam Demand

Mike Frey-Imagn Images

$1,732

The average men’s singles final ticket for the US Open this year, up from $1,615 last year, according to SeatGeek. The tennis tournament’s ticket rush began Tuesday, with a batch of face-value tickets selling out quickly and leaving only expensive resale seats, compelling fans to complain about sky-high prices. The average women’s singles final ticket is $1,230, up from $825 last year. Read the story.

LOUD AND CLEAR

Appeal Rejected

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

“He is not the first college athlete to face gambling addiction, and unfortunately, he will not be the last.”

—Texas Tech president Lawrence Schovanec wrote in a letter saying the university would appeal the NCAA’s decision to deny quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s request for reinstatement Tuesday, leaving his eligibility status up to the courts. In his letter, Schovanec said “the NCAA bylaws governing Brendan’s case have not adapted to the era of widespread legalized sports betting that this generation of college athletes now has to navigate.”

He added that Sorsby would return to campus after his time at an “intensive inpatient treatment program.” Sorsby, who completed a rehab program for a gambling addiction, isn’t able to play college football because he violated the NCAA’s gambling rules. Read the story.

STATUS REPORT

One Up, One Down, Two Push

May 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) calls out the play against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Kelsey Plum ⬇ The Los Angeles Sparks guard, the WNBA’s current leading scorer averaging 26.8 points per game, sprained her ankle during practice Tuesday and will be out for at least a week—missing a minimum of two games. It’s a rare injury for Plum, who missed just four games in the last four seasons. The Sparks currently have a 3–3 record and rank ninth in the league’s standings.

Alexia Putellas ⬆⬇ Just three days after winning her fourth Champions League title with Barcelona Femení, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner announced her departure from the club after 14 seasons Tuesday. According to ESPN and The Athletic, several NWSL teams, as well as the London City Lionesses and Paris Saint-Germain, have shown interest in the star midfielder. Putellas ends her time at Barcelona as the club’s leading scorer, as well as the most-decorated player—man or woman—with 36 trophies.

National Mall ⬆⬇ Washington, D.C.’s landscaped park will host a 2026 World Cup fan zone, the city’s way of involving itself in the global sports spectacle despite not hosting any matches. It will run for the entirety of the tournament and show all Team USA matches. This event is part of a busy summer for the nation’s capital, which includes America’s 250th anniversary celebration, President Donald Trump’s June 14 UFC fight, and an IndyCar race in late August.

Travis Kelce ⬆ The Chiefs tight end will be buying a minority stake in his hometown MLB team, the Guardians, the team announced Wednesday. Kelce joins an ownership group that includes owner Paul Dolan and minority shareholder David Blitzer. Other athletes to own minority stakes in MLB teams include Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes (Royals), LeBron James (Red Sox), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Brewers).