Last reviewed: 5 June 2026
The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs across the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. UK fans have reported issues including ESTA cancellations, secondary ticket pricing and difficulty securing refunds.
## Official ticketing FIFA sold World Cup 2026 tickets through its official platform at FIFA.com. Once purchased, tickets are non-transferable under FIFA rules. Tickets that appear on secondary resale sites are therefore sold in breach of FIFA's terms of sale, and FIFA has the right to cancel them. Fans who purchased tickets through official FIFA channels and cannot attend due to circumstances such as ESTA cancellation should contact FIFA's official customer service. FIFA has a resale portal for approved ticket transfers between registered fans. ## Ticket scam risks
- Sellers on social media, WhatsApp groups or unofficial websites claiming to have tickets at face value or below
- Requests for payment by bank transfer, cryptocurrency or gift card - these offer no consumer protection
- Pressure to buy quickly before "someone else takes them"
- Tickets that cannot be verified through the FIFA app or official portal
Report suspected ticket fraud to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk) or by calling 0300 123 2040. ## Payment protection for ticket purchases If you paid for World Cup tickets by credit card and the event does not take place or the seller fails to deliver, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card provider jointly liable with the seller for claims between £100 and £30,000. Debit card purchases may be eligible for chargeback through your bank, though this is not a statutory right. ## Travel insurance and ESTA cancellations As covered separately on Kaeltripton, dozens of Scotland fans had their ESTA status revoked in the days before the tournament. Check your travel insurance policy for cover relating to visa or ESTA refusal - policies vary widely. The Financial Ombudsman Service can handle disputes with travel insurers.
