Texas probes StubHub over World Cup ‘ghost ticketing’

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opens investigation into StubHub ticket practices tied to World Cup matches.
• Fans report tickets canceled hours before kickoff, leaving travelers stranded outside stadiums.
• Complaints point to possible “ghost ticketing,” where sellers list seats they don’t have.
• Some buyers lost thousands on travel and lodging after ticket issues.
• Officials urge affected Texans to file complaints as probe into resale market expands.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating StubHub after reports that World Cup fans have lost thousands over canceled tickets.

The probe into the ticket resale broker comes as Texas host cities like Dallas and Houston have reported that StubHub canceled tickets days or even hours before kickoff, according to a July 3 news release. StubHub said the cancellations stem from “transfer problems” on FIFA’s ticketing platform. Paxton, however, said consumer complaints suggest a broader issue known as “ghost ticketing,” where sellers list tickets they do not have, collect payment and cancel when they cannot deliver.

"My office is investigating reports that StubHub is failing to deliver tickets that Texas fans have rightfully purchased," Paxton said in the news release. "In many cases, attending a World Cup match is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If StubHub is ghost ticketing Texans out of that experience, my office will use every tool available to hold them accountable and help fans who have been wronged." 

StubHub claims it is safe to buy World Cup tickets on its website, which states "StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace with over 50 million ticket listings for sports, concerts, theater, and more. We've gotten hundreds of thousands of fans into the past three World Cups."

The ticket reseller also provides a FanProtect Guarantee, in the "rare case" there's an issue with an order.

"We’ll make it right with comparable or better tickets, or your money back," the website says. "We know that the World Cup is a particularly special event and that many fans are traveling to attend. We're taking extra measures to provide the best support possible to get every fan in.ve a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid for the impacted event or the option of a cash refund."

Still, the BBC has shared several stories of fans spending thousands on travel and hotel only to be left stranded outside of stadium gates, including Sergio Enrique Alvarado Montalvo, who paid $1,700 on StubHub for tickets to the Argentina vs Austria match — and spent an additional $6,000 to travel from Mexico to Dallas.

Montalvo was on the phone with StubHub up until an hour before kick-off after StubHub abruptly notified Montalvo that the seller could not deliver the tickets and refused to provide comparable replacements due to soaring prices, reported the BBC.

How to file a complaint against StubHub

Texans who purchased World Cup tickets through StubHub and did not receive them are encouraged to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. To access the online complaint form, click here. 

Natassia Paloma may be reached at [email protected], @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.

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