Resale sites cancel World Cup and concert tickets hours before events

Ticket resale platforms cancelled hundreds of World Cup and concert tickets at the last minute, leaving buyers without entry after they had already traveled to the venues. , paid a resale site $1,700 Cdn in August 2025 for two tickets to a June 13 match in New Jersey.

She said repeated calls to customer service produced assurances that the order was valid. On the day of the game, the tickets never appeared in her digital wallet, and a representative told her the seats were no longer available. Mongillo said she and her father had flown from Toronto and booked a hotel based on those assurances.

She is now seeking reimbursement for the tickets plus travel costs under the site's FanProtect Guarantee.

FIFA-controlled ticketing creates resale problems A company spokesperson said many cancellations stem from the event organizer's technology systems, recent transfer limits, and a mobile app introduced one month before the tournament. The same spokesperson confirmed that Mongillo's refund is being processed and that the company has offered her tickets to another match.

Hundreds of similar complaints have appeared on social media from buyers whose World Cup tickets were cancelled days or hours before games.

Concert buyers also lose seats Adair Roberts of Toronto bought two $1,000 tickets through a resale platform for a May 22 concert in Cleveland. Hours before the show, the tickets disappeared from the required mobile app. Roberts purchased replacement tickets at the venue to ensure she and her son could attend.

After CBC News contacted the companies, one platform issued a refund for the replacement tickets plus a $900 coupon. Roberts said the experience shows buyers should verify security measures before purchasing from resale sites.