Fact File: Bogus FIFA websites feed World Cup ticket scams

VANCOUVER – Websites claiming to offer FIFA World Cup tickets and hotel packages are appearing online ahead of the tournament’s June 11 kickoff. The websites use FIFA logos and branding, similar URLs, and identical looking login pages to pass as legitimate. But the sites are scams, meant to trick users into paying for non-existent tickets or giving up personal information.

THE CLAIM 

Dozens of spoof websites related to the World Cup are cropping up online, as scammers hope to cash in on soccer fans’ enthusiasm ahead of the tournament’s opening matches this week.

The websites claim to offer tickets and hotel packages for more than a dozen World Cup host cities, including Toronto and Vancouver. 

But authorities in the United States and Canada warn the sites aren’t what they appear to be.

THE FACTS

With names like ww-fifa.com, fifa.fund and 26-fifa.com, many of the website addresses resemble the official fifa.com URL. 

Upon first glance, they can appear almost identical to the legitimate FIFA website. The FIFA logo appears on the navigation bar, and the 2026 World Cup logo is on display, just like on the official site. Many of the images and articles are also taken directly from the FIFA site, adding to the appearance of legitimacy.

But there are several signs the websites are impersonating the real thing. 

Spelling errors — like a pop-up that reads “FIFA World Cup 2026TOfficial Hospitality” — are a potential red flag. 

Clicking on the “tickets” link for the 26-fifa.com website leads to a ticket page identical to the FIFA website, while clicking “browse tickets” leads to a sign in page for users to log in to their FIFA accounts. 

Unlike the real FIFA website, the login page can be easily bypassed without entering a username and password. Once tickets are selected, the site directs users to a checkout page that asks for payment information. 

The checkout page’s code shows it uses an online payment company called Razorpay that is primarily available in India, while the real FIFA website uses online ticketing platform Secutix. 

Other websites spoof ticketing platforms including SeatGeek with offers of deals that seem too good to be true.

Meta’s ad library shows dozens of advertisements for Facebook pages whose titles are variations of “World Cup 2026 tickets.” The ads lead to a website posing as ticket retailer SeatGeek, where the URL is spelled seatgaekes.com instead of seatgeeks.com. It includes an identical SeatGeek logo and a similar website design.

The price of a single ticket for the Canada vs. Qatar match on June 18 at BC Place in Vancouver ranges between $153 for an “upper ring” seat and $446 for one next to the field. The tickets don’t list seat numbers or show the BC Place seating map. The real seatgeek.ca website on Tuesday listed the cheapest ticket for the game as $657, while seats closest to the pitch are more than $1,000. 

The cheapest single ticket available on FIFA’s website for the same match was $770. 

SCAMS UNDER-REPORTED 

Domain information for the spoofed websites show they were created in March, April or May of this year.

Their prevalence prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States to issue a warning about the websites stealing people’s personal information and money. The RCMP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre put out their own warning about World Cup-related frauds in March. 

The centre says it has received 32 reports of fraud connected to the World Cup-related since January. The 24 victims lost more than $43,000 overall, spokesperson Jeff Horncastle told The Canadian Press via email, and most of the scams were related to counterfeit merchandise such as tickets and apparel. They mainly took place on social media and marketplace apps. 

While fake tickets were the most common complaint, others reported misleading immigration services, fake prizes and compromised personal information. The centre received six reports about websites impersonating FIFA.

Horncastle said it’s estimated that five to 10 per cent of victims report to the anti-fraud centre. “We want to remind Canadians that reporting fraud to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre helps authorities identify emerging trends, support investigations and prevent others from becoming victims,” he said.

The Vancouver Police Department said the most common World Cup scam is the sale of fake tickets.

“Unfortunately, people only discover they are fraudulent when they go to scan them at the stadium,” spokesperson Sgt. Adam Donaldson told The Canadian Press via email.

Authorities in Canada and the United States say fans should stick to buying tickets through FIFA’s official website and be wary of ticket deals that seem too good to be true.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.