Fans are reporting last-minute cancellations and lost travel expenses as authorities investigate whether resale listings are being sold without valid tickets.
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- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into StubHub’s ticketing practices related to World Cup games.
- Fans reported tickets being canceled hours before kickoff, leaving travelers stranded outside the stadium.
- The complaint points out the possibility of “ghost ticket sales,” in which sellers list seats they don’t have.
- Some buyers lost thousands of dollars in travel and lodging due to ticket issues.
- As the investigation into the resale market expands, authorities are encouraging affected Texans to come forward with complaints.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating StubHub after reports that World Cup fans lost thousands due to ticket cancellations.
The investigation into ticket resellers came after host cities in Texas, including Dallas and Houston, reported StubHub canceling tickets days or even hours before kickoff, according to a July 3 news release. StubHub said the cancellation was due to “transfer issues” with FIFA’s ticket sales platform. But Paxton said consumer complaints point to a broader problem known as “ghost ticket sales,” where sellers list tickets they don’t have, collect payment and cancel them if they can’t be delivered.
“My office is investigating reports that StubHub failed to deliver tickets legitimately purchased by Texas fans,” Paxton said in a news release. “For many, attending a World Cup game is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If StubHub is issuing ghost tickets to Texans that void that experience, my office will use every means necessary to hold them accountable and help the fans who have been wronged.”
StubHub claims it’s safe to buy World Cup tickets on its website, stating: “StubHub is the world’s largest ticket marketplace with over 50 million tickets for sports, concerts, theater and more. We’ve attracted hundreds of thousands of fans for the past three World Cups.”
The ticket reseller also offers a FanProtect guarantee in the “rare case” if there is a problem with your order.
“We will match you with a ticket of equal or higher value. If not, we will refund your money,” the website says. “We know that the World Cup is an especially special event and that many fans travel to watch the games. We are taking additional steps to provide all fans with the best support possible by offering them a credit worth 120% of the amount they paid for the affected event, or the option of a cash refund.”
Still, the BBC reported several stories of fans who were stranded outside stadium gates after spending thousands of dollars on transportation and hotels, including Sergio Enrique Alvarado Montalvo, who paid $1,700 on StubHub for tickets to the Argentina vs. Austria match and spent another $6,000 traveling from Mexico to Dallas.
The BBC reported that Montalvo was on the phone with StubHub until an hour before kickoff after StubHub suddenly notified Montalvo that the seller was unable to deliver the tickets and refused to provide a comparable replacement due to the price hike.
How to file a complaint against StubHub
Texans who purchased World Cup tickets through StubHub and did not receive them are encouraged to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office. Click here to access our online complaint form.
Contact Natassia Paloma at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
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