Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into FIFA over allegations that soccer fans were misled about the location and quality of seats purchased for matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The move comes just days before World Cup matches are set to begin. Arlington and Houston, two of the tournament's host cities, are scheduled to host their first matches on Sunday.
Paxton announced the investigation Tuesday, saying his office received complaints from fans who claim the seats they ultimately received didn’t match up to how the seats were represented at the time of purchase.
“I will work to ensure that FIFA is engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly,” Paxton said in a statement. “Sports have a unique power to bring people together, and FIFA must understand that Texans take their competition—and their consumer rights—seriously.”
According to the attorney general's office, some fans purchased "Category 1" tickets expecting premium views of the field. Complaints allege FIFA later changed seating maps, moving those seats into sections with less desirable sightlines.
Paxton said the investigation will determine whether FIFA violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a state consumer protection law, by misrepresenting ticket categories or seat locations during the sales process.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, is the international governing body for soccer and oversees the World Cup. Tickets for the 2026 tournament are selling for thousands of dollars, with some seats for the July 19 championship match in New Jersey selling for more than $10,000 under FIFA's dynamic pricing model.
A FIFA spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
