FIFA has pulled Toronto World Cup resale listings from view while it updates its platform to comply with Ontario’s new face-value resale cap.
FIFA’s official resale marketplace no longer shows tickets for Toronto’s World Cup matches after Ontario’s new cap on resale prices came into force, leaving would-be buyers waiting while the platform is reconfigured.
The governing body says the Toronto listings have not been deleted, but are effectively on hold and are expected to return once its system is changed to comply with the provincial legislation, which became law Friday. The law bars people and platforms from reselling tickets to events in Ontario for more than face value.
The change appears to be limited to Toronto on FIFA’s marketplace. Listings for World Cup games in other host cities remained available, according to the captured reporting, while Toronto matches were no longer listed on the resale site.
The pause comes as Ontario begins enforcing a new ticket-resale regime aimed at curbing steep markups on high-demand events. The Ford government introduced the measure earlier this year after public frustration over resale prices for major events including the most recent World Series and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
FIFA’s move contrasts with activity on StubHub, where resale listings for Toronto World Cup games were still available above face value on Tuesday afternoon. The platform had many tickets to Canada’s first game against Bosnia-Herzegovina listed for several thousand dollars, with a small number of lower-bowl seats priced at $72,705 each.
StubHub said last week it had not yet complied with the Ontario law because it lacked sufficient guidance. Spokesperson Jack Sterne said Tuesday that the company had since held a “productive conversation” with Stephen Crawford, Ontario’s minister of public and business service delivery, but that some issues remained unresolved.
“While there are still many outstanding questions, we appreciate their willingness to meet and are updating our systems to comply with Bill 97 going forward,” Sterne said in an email. He did not specify what questions were still outstanding.
Giulia Paikin, a spokesperson for Crawford, confirmed the province was working with StubHub to help bring the company into compliance. Businesses that violate the rules face penalties starting at $3,000, with fines rising as high as $250,000 for continued non-compliance.
The province has said the cap is intended to protect fans from professional resellers who drive up prices. Critics have warned that strict caps could push some buyers toward informal markets, where scams are more common, and could also affect how original ticket prices are set.
For now, the clearest immediate effect is on FIFA’s official resale channel: Toronto tickets are off the board until the system is updated, while questions remain about how quickly other platforms will adjust to Ontario’s new rules.
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