FIFA’s ticket resale platform for World Cup matches in Toronto has removed all listings following the implementation of a new price limit last week. The recent Ontario legislation prohibits the reselling of event tickets in the province for more than their face value. FIFA is adjusting its resale platform to comply with the law that was enacted on Friday. While listings for Toronto’s World Cup games have not been deleted, they are currently on hold and will be re-listed once the necessary system modifications are completed. FIFA’s resale platform still features listings for World Cup matches in all host cities except Toronto.
Meanwhile, StubHub is still selling tickets above face value for World Cup games in Toronto. The company had numerous tickets for Canada’s initial match against Bosnia-Herzegovina listed for thousands of dollars on Tuesday afternoon. Some tickets in the lower seating area were even priced at an astonishing $72,705 each. Last week, StubHub stated that it had not yet complied with the new Ontario legislation due to a lack of clear guidance.
A spokesperson for StubHub, Jack Sterne, mentioned that despite a constructive discussion with Minister Stephen Crawford, there are still unresolved issues as they work towards compliance with Bill 97. Sterne expressed appreciation for the government’s cooperation and indicated ongoing efforts to update their systems in line with the price cap law, without specifying the exact challenges faced.
Earlier this year, the Ford government introduced the price cap legislation in response to public outrage over exorbitant resale ticket prices for events like the World Series and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The legislation aims to safeguard fans and consumers from predatory resellers who artificially inflate ticket prices. Non-compliant businesses are subject to penalties starting at $3,000, with potential fines escalating up to $250,000 for continued violations. The government highlighted concerns that the cap could drive event-goers towards unofficial markets prone to scams, potentially leading to higher original ticket prices.