Texas probes StubHub over World Cup ticket complaints

Dozens of World Cup buyers said tickets they bought on StubHub never arrived, in some cases until hours before kickoff. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into StubHub on Friday after those complaints. StubHub is working to resolve transfer problems and get every fan into the match, and Paxton’s office said it would use every tool available if Texans were being ghost-ticketed out of the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup is being staged across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with Dallas and Houston among Texas hosts. FIFA directs ticket holders to use its official Ticket Transfer feature instead of moving tickets to third-party platforms or accounts. The transfer system can be used up to one hour before kickoff. StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee says buyers should receive valid tickets in time for the event, or comparable or better seats, a refund, or a credit if something goes wrong.

World Cup fans sued StubHub in Manhattan federal court on July 1, accusing the company of failing to deliver expensive tickets bought on the secondary market. The proposed class action seeks at least $5 million in damages.

A Houston-area family said it spent about $3,000 on StubHub tickets for an Arlington match that never arrived in time, while a Canadian buyer said he paid C$11,380 for premium seats that were not delivered before the game. StubHub blamed the problems on FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure, a claim FIFA rejects. Paxton’s office urged Texans who did not receive tickets, or received significantly inferior ones, to file complaints with the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division.