The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey, Letitia James and Jennifer Devenport, have announced they launched an investigation into FIFA following complaints about dynamic pricing and deception.
According to Oxu.Az citing RBK, the prosecutors have sent subpoenas to FIFA and issued a joint statement.
"New Yorkers have waited years for the World Cup to be held nearby, and they deserve a fair chance to buy tickets at reasonable prices. No one should be deceived into paying exorbitant prices," James said.
Devenport noted that FIFA has turned ticket purchasing into "a maze of confusion, artificial scarcity, and exorbitant prices."
The prosecutors will investigate fan complaints about seat reallocation, price increases, and a more expensive subcategory within first-category tickets. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has also launched a probe.
"The Athletic" published fan complaints. One fan, Jordan Likover, said, "You can't change the rules after the game has started."
Andrew Svart paid around $860 for a first-category ticket to the US-Australia match in Seattle but received a seat behind the goal. Similar cases occurred in Arlington, Los Angeles, Boston, and New York.
FIFA modified category schemes in 15 stadiums after complaints but issues persist. Dynamic pricing was introduced for the first time, leading to ticket prices significantly higher than previous World Cups. Final match tickets reached $33,000.
