{
  "id": 5278325,
  "title": "Fifa World Cup ticket ‘misbehaviour’ warning to MPs over UK’s Sporting Events Bill",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/fifa-world-cup-ticket-misbehaviour-warning-to-mps-over-uks-sporting",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T08:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/fifa-world-cup-ticket-misbehaviour-warning-to-mps-over-uks-sporting-events-bill/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifa has come under fire for its ticketing practices in the World Cup, with resellers expressing concerns that similar behavior could become widespread in the UK if a proposed bill is passed. The Sporting Events Bill, aimed at facilitating the hosting of single events like the Olympics, could be expanded to include regular events such as Wimbledon and the FA Cup final through amendments from peers. This bill would ban third-party reselling of tickets, potentially paving the way for organizers to manage their own secondary markets, similar to Fifa's approach during the recent World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Fifa has defended its conduct, with president Gianni Infantino stating that misbehavior is evident when rights holders control both primary and resale ticket sales, leading to issues such as price gouging and a lack of transparency.\n\nStubHub International, a company not directly involved with the US StubHub, which faced criticism for allowing speculative selling during the World Cup, warns that the bill's amendments could lead to a significant increase in ticket fraud. The company argues that banning third-party resale would push transactions into unregulated spaces, such as social media, where consumers have no protections. StubHub International fears that this shift could result in a four-fold increase in fraud, potentially generating £1.2 billion in fraudulent activity in the UK. Despite supporting the original intent of the bill, which aims to boost the UK's chances of hosting prestigious events like the Olympics and World Cup, StubHub International emphasizes that the proposed amendments could have detrimental effects on consumers.",
  "summary": "Fifa has been accused of “misbehaviour” in its World Cup ticketing by resellers, who warn that such practice could become rife in the UK if a bill up for debate in Parliament today is passed. The Sporting Events Bill was drawn up to make it easier for the UK to host one-off events such as [...]",
  "key_points": [
    "Fifa criticizes UK's Sporting Events Bill for potential ticket fraud",
    "Resellers warn bill could ban third-party resale of tickets",
    "StubHub International fears four-fold increase in fraud if bill passes"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}