StubHub faces class action over World Cup ticket failures

StubHub is facing a proposed class action in New York over alleged failures to deliver FIFA World Cup tickets, increasing legal and reputational pressure on the resale platform during the tournament.The complaint was filed in Manhattan federal court on behalf of customers who claim they paid substantial sums for tickets that were cancelled, never transferred or proved unavailable close to kick-off.StubHub said: “Our singular goal is to get fans into events, and if anything goes wrong, our FanProtect Guarantee provides replacement tickets or a full refund.“The World Cup is no different, and the issues fans have experienced are largely driven by problems with the event organiser’s own ticketing infrastructure.”The company declined to comment directly on the pending litigation.The lawsuit seeks damages of at least US$5m and aims to represent thousands of US customers who allegedly did not receive World Cup tickets purchased through StubHub.It accuses the company of breaching consumer protection and false advertising laws by promoting ticket access and its FanProtect Guarantee without providing the replacements buyers expected when orders failed.Two California residents named in the complaint described separate cases involving matches in the United States and Mexico.One plaintiff paid US$1,905 for three tickets to Switzerland’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in California but allegedly did not receive the tickets or a refund before the filing.The other paid US$2,294 for two tickets to Mexico’s fixture against South Korea in Guadalajara. His order was cancelled after he had travelled to Mexico, although he later received a refund.The claim argues that refunds alone do not compensate customers for flights, accommodation and other costs incurred when tickets are withdrawn shortly before a match.It also alleges that some buyers received conflicting information about whether replacement seats would be offered.StubHub operates as a third-party resale marketplace and is not an official FIFA ticketing platform.FIFA has encouraged supporters to purchase and resell tickets through its authorised marketplace, maintaining that it does not control transactions completed on external platforms.The dispute has also highlighted concerns over speculative ticket listings, where sellers advertise inventory before securing the underlying tickets.Sharp increases in resale prices can leave sellers unable or unwilling to fulfil earlier orders if replacement inventory becomes more expensive.The allegations create a significant consumer-trust challenge for StubHub because the World Cup is one of the largest and most valuable ticketing events in the global sports market.Failures involving international travellers can carry greater financial and reputational consequences than cancellations for domestic events because customers may have committed to costly travel months in advance.The company’s guarantee is central to its proposition to buyers using a marketplace where StubHub generally does not own the tickets being sold.The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation and an order preventing StubHub from continuing to sell World Cup tickets under the alleged practices.The case must receive court approval before proceeding as a class action, with the litigation set to test the extent of StubHub’s responsibility when third-party sellers fail to deliver tournament inventory.