N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport on Wednesday “issued subpoenas” to FIFA, compelling the organization to “disclose how it arrived at the unprecedented ticket prices” for this summer’s World Cup. The investigation will also “look at other FIFA ticketing practices after fans reported being misled about seat locations and ticket categories.” Investigators have “zeroed in on the eight matches, including the final” that will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. They are also “looking at potentially problematic tactics around the changing of ticket categories” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/27).
The offices of James and Davenport said they were getting “investigatory support from the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)” as they subpoenaed information from FIFA. The investigation is the “latest twist in a monthslong ticketing saga that has colored the buildup to this World Cup.” The attorneys general did not put a timeline on the investigation. Given the possibility that FIFA “could challenge the subpoenas, it’s unlikely that they will get a response before the World Cup kicks off on June 11” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/27).
