The Frankfurt regional court has granted a preliminary injunction against Fifa, ordering the governing body to cease what it describes as 'manipulative processes' in the sale of World Cup tickets. The injunction, requested by German online ticket resale platform Ticombo, requires Fifa to disclose the identity and address of any commercial sellers to buyers before purchase completion.
Court orders transparency on seller identity
The court specifically instructed Fifa 'to cease facilitating ticket sales without informing buyers of the seller's identity and address [specifically for sellers acting in a commercial capacity] in a timely manner prior to the buyer completing their purchase.' The ruling applies only in Germany and is unlikely to impact Fifa's operations for the current tournament, as Fifa did not appear before the court.
Ticombo is now seeking to take its case to Switzerland, a process that will take considerable time. The company acknowledges the injunction comes too late for the 2026 World Cup but aims to pressure Fifa into altering practices before the 2030 tournament, primarily hosted in Spain and Portugal.
Fifa profits from secondary market commissions
Fifa has generated millions from its official secondary ticketing market during this World Cup. Unlike in countries such as the UK, reselling tickets at a profit is legal in the United States. With demand soaring, secondary market prices have reached tens of thousands of pounds. Fifa charges a 15% commission from both the seller and the buyer, effectively profiting three times from a single ticket sale.
Beyond high prices, fans have repeatedly complained about a lack of transparency, especially regarding seller identity and seat locations in stadiums. In May, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launched an investigation into Fifa's ticket sales at MetLife Stadium, which will host the final on Sunday, following complaints that fans were misled about seat locations.
US officials and Ticombo raise concerns
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated: '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.'
In its court submission, Ticombo accused Fifa of 'systematically concealing the identity and any possible trader status of its sellers to allow commercial entities to operate as undisclosed traders selling ticket allocations at heavily inflated prices.'
Allegations of manipulative design features
Ticombo also claims Fifa employs 'manipulative design features' on its last-minute sales platform, including bait-and-switch pricing, where initial prices appear lower but rise steeply at checkout; aggressive six-minute countdowns that lock out buyers if not completed in time; manipulative defaults like a 'book the best seat' function that automatically selects the most expensive seat; and concealed pricing, where individual ticket prices are not clearly shown until after selection.
'This historic injunction is an important legal and public-interest step for football fans,' a Ticombo spokesperson said. 'We initiated this legal action to establish that transparency, fairness, and consumer rights must remain central standards in the ticketing industry, including for the world's largest sporting events.'
Fifa has been approached for comment.
