A World Cup Ticket Isn't A Souvenir. It's A Contract Of Adhesion. - Above the Law

"FIFA has managed to turn World Cup ticketing into an international spectacle before a single match has even started. In September, the organization said that tickets would begin at around €51 for group-stage games and top out near €5,727 for the final. That was before FIFA shifted to dynamic pricing. This week, fans learned what "dynamic" looks like in the real world. Supporters erupted after the German football federation published the price bands allocated to national associations. The group-stage tickets that were supposed to hover around $60 now sit between $180 and $700. The cheapest final ticket is $4,185. The top end is $8,680."

"Because a World Cup ticket is not an ordinary purchase. It is a revocable license wrapped in the Federal Arbitration Act and reinforced with clauses that eliminate nearly every remedy a fan might expect. I have read the lengthy terms and conditions of ticketing for matches in the U.S. so you don't have to. What follows is the reality behind that QR code."

"You are not buying access. You are temporarily borrowing it. The ticket is a "personal, revocable, single-entry license." Anyone who has spent time in Property or Torts understands what that means. FIFA can revoke it and send you home without refund or explanation. Wrong reseller, wrong login, wrong battery level, wrong vibes at the turnstile. It all creates grounds for denial. The ticket remains FIFA's property at all times. Your expectations play no role in the analysis."

FIFA shifted from advertised fixed ticket prices to dynamic pricing, producing much higher banded prices and provoking fan outrage. Group-stage tickets expected near $60 now range roughly $180–$700, while final tickets run about $4,185 to $8,680. Ticket purchases are defined as personal, revocable, single-entry licenses that remain FIFA property and can be revoked without refund or explanation. Terms state that tickets have no cash value and refunds are nearly nonexistent. The contract is governed by arbitration provisions under the Federal Arbitration Act and contains clauses that remove most consumer remedies.

Read at Above the Law