While FIFA President Gianni Infantino continues to defend resale prices for World Cup tickets, the UK government looks to criminalise profiting from the resale of tickets for UEFA Euro 2028.
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is looking to target exploitative ticket touts who bulk-buy and flip tickets above face value, ensuring genuine fans get access at original prices for events.
The new proposals build on the UEFA European Championship Bill in Scotland, which will ban the unauthorised resale of Euros tickets above face value or with the intention of profiting.
Though the legislation is currently focused on Euro 2028, the UK government is considering extending similar rules to all major events. This could include the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Ryder Cup, which the country is looking to host in the future.
Under the proposed rules, ticket touting would include:
- Selling or offering tickets above face value
- Advertising tickets for resale for profit
- Making tickets available through third parties
- Bundling tickets with additional charges, goods or services
- Charging hidden booking fees linked to ticket transfers
“The UK is home to a brilliant range of music, entertainers and sporting stars – but when fans are shut out, it only benefits the touts. That’s why we’re taking these bold measures to smash their model to pieces and make sure more fans can enjoy their favourite stars at a fair price,” said UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle in January.
Just weeks before the FIFA World Cup
Ticketing has been a controversial talking point in the buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Supporters were initially unhappy with the introduction of dynamic pricing for tickets, the first time the system has been used at the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the approach by arguing that it aligns with the US market, noting its use at other major US events such as the Super Bowl.
While still facing a lot of flak for dynamic pricing, attention has recently turned to resale activity, with one ticket for the final in New Jersey listed for £8.4m ($11.5m).
When questioned on these extreme prices, Infantino again used the US market as justification.
“We are in that market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said. “In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well. If you were to sell tickets at a price which is too low, these tickets would be resold at a much higher price.
“We have 25% of the group stage match tickets that can be bought for less than $300. In the US, you cannot go to watch a college game… of a certain level for less than $300. And this is the World Cup.”
The UK government’s proposed legislation could be seen as an attempt to prevent similar issues from developing around future tournaments hosted in Britain, especially as UEFA plans to freeze tickets at significantly lower prices for the 2028 edition.
A fix for UK football’s domestic ticketing problem?
While the UK government’s proposals are focused on major events, ticket resale is a growing issue across domestic football as well.
According to a BBC investigation last year, Premier League clubs are facing more pressure from a black market for match tickets than ever before.
The investigation found tickets for sold-out matches involving clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal, Everton and West Ham United available through unauthorised resale websites.
In the UK, ticket resale is generally only permitted through official club exchanges or authorised partners, with prices typically restricted to face value. However, many resale platforms operate overseas, making enforcement more difficult.
Clubs have been hounded for their relationship with the resale market. Todd Boehly, minority owner of Chelsea, is connected to ticket marketplace Vivid Seats. The platform was recently listing tickets for Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United with prices ranging from £148 to £1,705.
