Missouri NOT probing FIFA ticket prices, yet
Article excerpt
Missouri's attorney general won't investigate FIFA's World Cup ticket pricing, at least not yet, even as other states hosting matches scrutinize the organization's practices. FIFA faces accusations of misleading fans about how tickets are sold and priced, prompting legal inquiries in multiple jurisdictions. Missouri's decision stands in contrast to more aggressive postures taken by officials elsewhere, though the door remains open for future action.
Missouri is not launching a probe into pricing strategies employed by FIFA, a spokesperson from the state attorney general’s office told POLITICO, as several states playing host to World Cup matches take the organization to task for allegedly misleading fans.
Colbey Stosberg, public affairs specialist at the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, said in a statement that the office is instead focusing on “the unfortunate opportunity it creates for scammers to exploit travelers and match attendees.”
Missouri’s Arrowhead Stadium will play host to four games during the World Cup group stage, as well as a round of 32 matchup and a quarterfinal. Argentina will take on Algeria next Tuesday, Kansas City’s first game of the tournament.
“We haven’t received any complaints about purportedly deceptive pricing strategies yet,” Stosberg said. “If we do happen to receive those, we will review the complaint and determine any appropriate actions to be taken.”
On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a new investigation over allegations that FIFA misled fans into spending more money for seats with premium views, only to change the seating maps.
New York and New Jersey launched their own joint investigation into ticket pricing in May. And California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to FIFA, seeking information “to assess potential violations of California law.”