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Thu, 02 Jul 2026

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 World Cup dreams shattered as StubHub tickets cancelled at last minute leaving fans stranded outside stadiums

Hundreds of fans who bought World Cup tickets on resale site StubHub say they have had them cancelled at the last minute.
A World Cup ticketing disaster has left thousands of fans stranded outside stadium gates, with many losing thousands of dollars in non-refundable travel costs. Sergio Montalvo's family was among those affected after he paid $1,700 for Argentina vs Austria tickets on StubHub. However, just a day before the match, the platform informed him that the seller couldn't deliver the tickets. Industry insiders are calling this one of the largest ticketing collapses in history, with many attributing it to "speculative ticketing," where unverified sellers list tickets they don't yet own, hoping to resell them at a higher price. When prices skyrocket, these sellers often back out of the deal, leaving buyers empty-handed. Two World Cup fans have filed a lawsuit against StubHub, accusing the platform of failing to deliver tickets that were paid for. The company has denied any wrongdoing, blaming technical issues with Fifa's new ticketing system. However, many users believe that StubHub allows speculative ticketing to continue on its platform. As the World Cup moves into the high-stakes rounds, industry watchdogs warn that the cancellation crisis may intensify, leaving more families stranded outside stadium gates.