StubHub is currently facing an investigation in British Columbia by Consumer Protection BC due to numerous complaints from customers who purchased World Cup tickets but never received them. This follows a lawsuit filed in federal court in New York by Julia Reeker Moghal and Reuben Renteria, alleging that StubHub's "false and misleading" sales practices left them without tickets for matches they had paid for. Moghal reportedly paid $1,905 for three tickets to a Switzerland-Bosnia and Herzegovina match and never received them or a refund, despite StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee. Renteria paid $2,294 for two tickets and only received a refund after significant complaints, having already incurred travel costs.
The core issue, often referred to as "speculative ticketing," involves unverified sellers listing tickets they do not yet possess, hoping to secure them at a lower price closer to the event. If ticket prices rise, these sellers back out, leaving buyers empty-handed. StubHub has publicly committed to honoring its refund guarantees but attributes many of the problems to FIFA's new ticketing app, which it claims had "significant performance issues." However, FIFA refutes these claims, stating it has no control over third-party transactions and that its official platform is the only guaranteed sales channel.
Evidence suggests StubHub allowed speculative listings for World Cup tickets months before FIFA released them. A CBC News investigation found that tickets were offered for resale as early as August 2024 for the 2026 World Cup, with some purchases made a week before FIFA's official release date in September 2025. Critics are calling for government intervention and stricter regulations to combat such practices, including a ban on "ghost tickets" and price gouging protections. Some consumers, like Jeremy Wright, who eventually received replacement tickets from StubHub, emphasize the need for laws to prevent the sale of non-existent tickets, likening it to selling a car or house one doesn't own.
