World Cup tickets in Toronto can only be resold at face value on FIFA marketplace
Theo Al Jazeera English
FIFA has updated its ticket resale policy for the 2026 World Cup matches in Toronto to comply with an Ontario law banning sales above face value. Tickets for other venues in the U.S. and Mexico can still be resold at higher prices.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has updated its ticket resale policy for the 2026 World Cup matches taking place in Toronto, Canada. Under the new rules, tickets for games at Toronto Stadium may only be resold on FIFA’s official marketplace at the original face value.
The new regulation took effect on April 30, one week after tickets for six matches at Toronto Stadium were removed from the official resale market to comply with Ontario's 2026 budget law, recently passed by the province. The Ontario “Fans First” law prohibits anyone from offering tickets on the secondary market or facilitating ticket sales at prices exceeding the original face value.
In contrast, tickets for matches at the other 15 venues—primarily in the United States and Mexico—can still be listed at prices above face value on FIFA’s official resale platform. FIFA says the platform is designed to protect fans and comply with federal and local regulations.
Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices, arguing the organization has an obligation to leverage U.S. law, which allows resale of tickets at prices thousands of dollars above face value. FIFA has faced intense criticism over ticket pricing, with European football fan groups calling the pricing structure “exorbitant” and “a huge betrayal.”
Last week, the FIFA marketplace listed four tickets for the July 19 final in New York at more than $2 million each. As of April 20, FIFA said it had sold more than five million tickets for the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 and is co-hosted by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. However, some matches, including the host U.S. team’s opening match against Paraguay, have not sold out due to high prices. Tickets for USA vs. Paraguay start at $1,120 and go up to $4,105, with many offered at around $2,000 for the June 12 game in Los Angeles. Tickets in luxury hospitality packages cost as much as $6,050 per seat.
