Texa Border Business
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (“FIFA”) over allegations that the organization misled fans regarding the location and quality of seats sold for the upcoming World Cup matches. This action comes ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches scheduled for June and July in Arlington and Houston.
FIFA is the international governing body of soccer. It is responsible for organizing and promoting many of the major international soccer events all over the world, most notably the World Cup. Fans pay considerable amounts of money for the opportunity to attend these World Cup matches, with premium seats at the final match costing over $10,000.
Reports indicate that fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing. One report detailed how a fan bought “Category 1” seats, expecting premium views of the field. However, after the purchase, FIFA adjusted the seat maps to move these seats to what was originally designated as “Category 2,” which has less optimal views of the field. The Office of the Attorney General has received several consumer complaints detailing similar experiences in which consumers are assigned seats with less desirable views than originally represented.
“I will work to ensure that FIFA is engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Sports have a unique power to bring people together, and FIFA must understand that Texans take their competition—and their consumer rights—seriously.”
Attorney General Paxton is investigating whether FIFA violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“DTPA”). This investigation will determine whether the organization’s representations regarding ticket seat locations and categories violated the Texas Business and Commerce Code and whether FIFA misrepresented the seat classifications to consumers at the time of purchase.
As part of fair and balanced journalism, corporations named in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s investigation, including FIFA, should be afforded the opportunity to respond to the allegations and provide their perspective. While the Attorney General’s office has announced a sweeping investigation into FIFA and issued Civil Investigative Demands to FIFA , the investigation remains ongoing, and no findings of wrongdoing have been made. Fair reporting requires that all parties have an opportunity to address the claims, explain their practices, and comment on the issues raised by the investigation. Send perspective to: info@tbbmega.com
