As the World Cup draws near, with matches set to kick off in South Florida on June 15th, the excitement is being shadowed by a familiar problem. Experts are warning that ticket scams have become common, and they are urging fans to be careful before handing over any money.
The scale of the issue is already visible. The Better Business Bureau maintains an online scam tracker, and it currently lists 15 alleged schemes involving 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket sales, a sign of how attractive the tournament has become to fraudsters.
To avoid being caught out, verified brokers say buyers should vet any and all ticket offers rather than rushing into a purchase. The advice is to slow down and check who is actually selling the ticket before committing.
How the payment is made matters too. Experts recommend looking for places with a secure checkout, and they advise staying away from anyone trying to transact over services such as Zelle, crypto or Venmo, which can leave buyers with little protection if something goes wrong.
Knowing the rules can also help. Florida statute requires ticket resale brokers to guarantee a full refund when an event is canceled, when the customer is denied admission, or when the ticket is simply not delivered, giving buyers a measure of legal protection.
There is also movement in the legitimate market. Over the last month, tickets to some group stage matches have dropped almost 20%, and that trend is expected to continue right up until kickoff, even as buyers are urged to keep their guard up against offers that look too good to be true.