Fifa regrets free ticket error but demands fans pay

The Toronto sign decorated with FIFA World Cup graphics is seen at Nathan Phillips Square

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,

Toronto is one of 16 World Cup host cities

ByJosh LobleyBBC Sport journalist

Published49 minutes ago

Fifa has admitted an error on its website allowed 60 fans to purchase World Cup tickets for free.

Football's world governing body has cancelled the tickets with incorrect prices, and given the affected fans the opportunity to re-purchase the tickets at full price.

"Fifa can confirm that approximately 60 fans received a communication on Wednesday, 3 June regarding tickets that had been allocated at no charge due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process," it said, adding that it "regrets any inconvenience caused".

Ticket Talk Network, a social media account which highlights ticketing errors, shared a letter which confirmed the fans have seven days to pay for the tickets before they are removed from their accounts.

It is understood the affected tickets were for group stage matches in Toronto.

The World Cup, which is being hosted in Canada, the United States and Mexico, gets under way on Thursday, 11 June.

The glitch is just the latest ticket issue facing Fifa, which promised the event would be sold out but still has seats avaialble less than a week before the tournament begins.

Last week, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey started an investigation into Fifa's ticket practices, following allegations of "artificially inflating prices" and "misleading fans".

Fifa is using a process it calls 'variable pricing' for ticket sales. It means ticket prices can be adjusted throughout the sales phases based on demand and availability.

Fifa's final open sales window began in April. At the time it said that more tickets could be released right up to kick-off.