Fifa investigated by New York and New Jersey attorneys general over World Cup ticket prices
Fifa is facing a formal investigation in New York and New Jersey over its handling of 2026 World Cup ticket sales.
Jennifer Davenport, New Jersey's attorney general, and her New York counterpart, Letitia James, have issued a subpoena compelling Fifa to hand over internal documents and information.
The probe centres on accusations that Fifa "artificially inflated prices" and "misled fans".
New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection has joined the inquiry, with officials examining whether the governing body's ticketing approach violated consumer protection laws.
Investigators are looking into claims that Fifa employed variable pricing across multiple sales phases, allegedly enabling the organisation to increase costs for approximately 90 of the tournament's 104 matches by an average of 34 per cent.
This pricing structure has allegedly pushed tickets beyond the cost of any previous World Cup in history.
Supporters have complained of being misled regarding where their seats were actually located within stadiums.
Officials are also probing how the ticket release timetable and Fifa's public statements may have influenced pricing.
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Davenport described the ticketing process as a "gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity and impossibly high prices".
She said: "Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated.
"It's an honour to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors."
Fifa has declined to comment on the investigation.
The organisation's president Gianni Infantino has previously defended ticket costs, saying there is "absolutely crazy" public demand.
Despite Fifa's emphasis on overwhelming demand, face-value tickets remained available for 86 of the 104 fixtures, including all but 10 group-stage matches where the participating teams have long been confirmed.
Levine said supporters should have "transparency and fairness" when purchasing tickets for the World Cup.
She said: "Reports of Fifa conduct in violation of the city's consumer protection law, including misleading fans about seat locations and artificially inflating prices, are deeply troubling."
The attorneys general have drawn particular attention to pricing for eight matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, including the final.
Relations between local organisers and Fifa have been strained for months over costs.
New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill previously criticised Fifa's refusal to subsidise event transport, with New Jersey Transit recently reducing train fares to the stadium from $150 (£111) to $98 (£73) following backlash.
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