FIFA’s ticket resale marketplace for World Cup matches in Toronto has been impacted by a recent price cap implementation. Following the enforcement of new legislation in Ontario, which prohibits reselling event tickets above face value, Toronto listings have been removed from FIFA’s platform. The organization is currently adjusting its resale platform to align with the new law. Although Toronto game listings are temporarily on hold, they are expected to be reinstated once the necessary system modifications are completed.
While FIFA’s resale platform still features World Cup game listings for other host cities, Toronto matches are notably absent. StubHub, another resale platform, is continuing to offer seats for Toronto matches above face value. As an example, tickets for Canada’s first game against Bosnia-Herzegovina were listed for thousands of dollars, with some lower bowl seats priced at an astonishing $72,705 each. Despite discussions with the Ontario government, StubHub has not fully complied with the new legislation due to unclear guidance provided to them.
The Ontario government, spearheaded by Minister Stephen Crawford, is collaborating with StubHub to ensure compliance with the price cap law. Businesses failing to adhere to the regulations could face penalties starting at $3,000, escalating to a maximum of $250,000 for persistent non-compliance. The legislation was introduced earlier this year in response to public outrage over exorbitant resale prices for events like the World Series and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The government aims to protect consumers from exploitative resellers who artificially inflate ticket prices. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the legislation on informal markets and the original ticket prices.
