Texas is looking into FIFA ticket complaints. Here’s how to spot a scam
For many soccer fans, attending a FIFA World Cup match is a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth spending hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars to make happen.
So when you’re paying that much money for a ticket, you’d expect to get exactly what you paid for, but some fans who purchased tickets for upcoming matches in Texas say they didn’t.
That’s why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Tuesday, June 9 that his office is investigating FIFA.
“Fans pay considerable amounts of money for the opportunity to attend these World Cup matches, with premium seats at the final match costing over $10,000,” the office said in a news release. “Reports indicate that fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing.”
One complaint cited by the attorney general’s office involved a fan who purchased Category 1 seats expecting premium views of the field.
According to the office, FIFA later adjusted its seating maps and moved those seats to an area that had originally been designated as Category 2 seating, with less desirable views.
“I will work to ensure that FIFA is engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly,” Paxton said. “Sports have a unique power to bring people together, and FIFA must understand that Texans take their competition—and their consumer rights—seriously.”
With many fans still searching for tickets, experts are warning people to watch out for scams that could cost them money or leave them without a valid ticket on match day.
Here’s what to know before buying a ticket.
How are scammers targeting FIFA World Cup fans?
The FBI said one common tactic involves websites designed to look like FIFA’s official ticketing platform.
“Threat actors create a deceptive version of a legitimate website (www.fifa.com) with the goal of tricking users into believing they’re interacting with an official brand,” the agency said in a May 27 news release.
The websites may be used to collect personal information, sell fake World Cup tickets and hospitality products or facilitate other malicious activity.
“If a threat actor gains access to a victim’s PII (personally identifiable information), they can create new accounts in a victim’s name and ultimately defraud the victim,” the agency said.
McAfee’s 2026 World Cup scam research found that some scammers advertise tickets they don’t actually own through online marketplaces, social media platforms and other unofficial websites, leaving buyers to pay for a ticket that never arrives or never existed to begin with.
Other scammers profit by selling the same ticket multiple times. According to McAfee, duplicate QR code scams can involve one legitimate digital ticket being resold to several buyers, even though only one person will ultimately be able to use it.
How can I spot a fake FIFA World Cup ticket?
One of the biggest warning signs is a web address that looks like FIFA’s official site but contains a misspelling, extra word or different domain ending.
According to the FBI, you should type FIFA’s web address directly into your browser instead of relying on search engines and avoid clicking sponsored search results, which can sometimes lead to fraudulent pages.
Price can also be a clue. McAfee experts say tickets advertised far below market value or sellers creating pressure to buy immediately can be signs of fraud.
“If someone is pushing a deal that feels dramatically cheaper than similar tickets, claiming prices are about to go up, or creating pressure to buy immediately, that is worth paying attention to,” Head of Threat Research at McAfee, Abhishek Karnik wrote. “Creating artificial urgency around a ‘great deal’ is one of the easiest ways scammers get people excited enough to move quickly.”
How a seller wants to be paid can also be a warning sign. Experts say you should be cautious of sellers who insist on payment through wire transfers, cryptocurrency or peer-to-peer payment apps because those transactions can be difficult to recover if something goes wrong.
To reduce your risk, experts recommend buying tickets through FIFA’s official ticketing platform or a verified resale marketplace that offers buyer protections and guarantees.
What should I do if I think I’ve been scammed?
McAfee recommends stopping communication with the suspected scammer immediately and avoiding any requests for additional money or personal information.
The company also suggests saving screenshots of messages, payment confirmations and other records in case the seller disappears.
If you sent money, contact your bank, credit card company or payment provider as soon as possible. Some financial institutions may be able to reverse charges or flag fraudulent activity if reported quickly.
The FBI encourages anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a fraudulent World Cup website to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Reports should include information such as the website involved, details about your interaction with the site and any financial transaction records connected to the incident.
