Prior to the 2026 World Cup, football fans were warned about ticket scams

Compared to the same period in 2024, when overall losses increased as a result of the Euros, Santander customers lost more to football scams in the first half of 2025

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, football fans have received a warning about match ticket scams.

Mexico and South Africa will play in the opening match of the 23rd World Cup on June 11, with England hoping to win the men's competition for the first time since 1966.

However, football fans have been cautioned to be on the lookout for scams because the exorbitant costs of genuine tickets run the risk of luring people into the hands of con artists.

It comes as Santander discloses that between January and September, football ticket scams stole over 152,306 from its UK customers, up from 127,544 during the same nine-month period in 2024.

The director of fraud prevention at Lloyds Bank, Liz Ziegler, stated: "It is easy for fans to get swept up in the excitement as anticipation builds for next year's World Cup, with both Scotland and England having already secured their places." Unfortunately, con artists are prepared to exploit that zeal. The "

How to purchase tickets for the 2026 World Cup safely.

Fans who wish to purchase tickets for World Cup matches should only do so via the official FIFA website, www . fifa . com, according to official advice on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) website.

Officially purchased tickets must be scanned using the FIFA World Cup app; no tickets will be sold at stadiums. The acceptance of screenshots or printed tickets at stadium gates is not guaranteed. ID checks might also be performed.

Supporters are being advised not to purchase tickets from third-party vendors, social media, or unofficial resale websites.

It is thought that some con artists are selling the same ticket to several purchasers. The ticket may still scan at stadium gates, but it may be marked as invalid or already used, which would prevent the owner from entering.

"If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is," stated James Andrew, editor of FourFourTwo, BFIA's sister publication. I would advise against purchasing World Cup tickets from anyone other than FIFA or one of the national football associations in order to prevent scams. A "

Additionally, Laura Carter, Santander's head of fraud customer experience, stated: "Be sure the website you are purchasing from is secure. When making an online purchase, look for the padlock symbol in the address bar to verify the payment pages. The URL should begin with https. The "

Instead of using PayPal or a bank transfer to pay for any tickets, you should use a debit or credit card to further protect yourself.

If a ticket is determined to be invalid after purchase, customers who paid with debit or credit cards may be able to recover their money through chargeback.

If the cost of the missold goods or service is more than £100 but less than £30,000, credit card payers are entitled to additional protections under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

The cost of tickets is absurd.

On the FIFA website, the third phase of World Cup ticket sales has been available since December 11. Since the announcement of the complete match schedule, this is the first stage.

Up to four tickets per match and a total of 40 tickets for the tournament may be requested by each household.

FIFA has stated that everyone, regardless of when they apply, will have an equal chance of winning a ticket during the Random Selection Draw, which is open until January 13.

In February, fans will find out if they were successful. Those who have already purchased tickets will be automatically charged. However, this implies that getting a ticket is not guaranteed.

Additionally, the Football Association (FA) has been given eight percent of the World Cup match tickets to distribute among its members.

Tickets from this allocation will be distributed to England Supporters Travel Club members through a ballot that is weighted in favor of members with the most loyalty points.

An email containing an access code to a FIFA portal will be sent to the group; they can apply starting on December 15.

Members are the only ones who can access the official England Supporters Travel Club allocation.

Tickets for the final on July 19 are selling for up to 6,491, while tickets for the England group stage matches are selling for as much as 523 (based on currency conversion through XE . com). For the final, the lowest price available is 3,119.

Football Supporters Europe (FSE), a fan organization, has strongly criticized the ticket price and demanded an immediate stop to sales.

The fan group said in a statement that it was "astonished by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated supporters."

The high prices, according to James Andrew of FourFourTwo, are "scandalous."

"The cost of travel and lodging has already skyrocketed, and now that the ticket prices have been announced, they are also very expensive. You would think that paying four figures for football would be for a Premier League season ticket rather than a single game. He continued, "The exorbitant ticket costs for this competition are a betrayal to football fans worldwide."

The FourFourTwos website has all the information you need to apply for a World Cup ticket.

FIFA was contacted by BFIA to request a statement.