Authorities are warning fans about a surge in scams related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as malicious actors exploit high demand for tickets and merchandise. The tournament, which kicks off on June 11 with an expanded 48-team format and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has seen ticket prices soar, leaving many fans seeking bargains outside official channels.
FBI Warns of Dozens of Fake Websites
The FBI recently alerted the public to 36 websites impersonating FIFA's official site, including domains like "fifa-ticket.live" and "fifaworldcup26.sale." These sites aim to steal personal information or sell fake tickets and products. According to cybersecurity firm Group-IB, more than 4,300 fraudulent domains posing as FIFA-affiliated have been registered since August, with over 300 operated by a single Chinese-speaking actor. Many of these sites are currently dormant but are expected to activate as the tournament approaches.
Cybercriminals Exploit Fan Excitement
Justin Miller, associate professor of practice of cyber studies at the University of Tulsa, explained that scammers capitalize on fan excitement and the fear of missing out. "Cybercriminals follow attention, urgency, and money, and the World Cup sits at the intersection of all three," he said. The fake websites closely resemble the official FIFA site, complete with branding and payment partner logos, making them difficult to distinguish from the real thing.
Researchers from Bitdefender also identified 55 football-related scam ad campaigns on Meta platforms, promoting counterfeit collectibles and merchandise. Meta has begun deploying pop-up warnings when users search for tickets and has dismantled a network linking to spoofed FIFA sites.
Offline Fraud on the Rise
Offline scams are also increasing. Toronto police recently seized over 16,000 fake football jerseys and flags, along with two counterfeit trophies. Authorities in all three host countries urge fans to purchase tickets only from verified sources, double-check web addresses, and be cautious of too-good-to-be-true social media offers.
