You might need to pony up a couple thousand bucks just to have a shot at buying tickets to the World Cup next year.
What happened: Switzerland’s gambling regulator is investigating FIFA’s new blockchain-based “Right to Buy” tokens for the 2026 World Cup, which give fans first dibs to buy certain tickets when they go on sale.
- The regulator is looking into whether the model crosses the line into gambling territory, since many of the tokens become worthless when teams are eliminated.
- For example, club-specific options like the US$999 Right to Final: England token offer fans the chance to buy tickets only if England actually makes the final.
Catch-up: FIFA has already sold more than 30,000 of these tokens, likely bringing in over $15 million in cash before even releasing a single ticket. Token prices range from $279 for a random group-stage match to $3,000 for other packages.
Why it matters: Demand for mega-events like the World Cup, Olympics, and A-list concerts has gotten so crazy that just getting a chance to buy tickets has turned into its own economy. If the FIFA right-to-buy model proves successful, it could serve as a blueprint for future events.
Yes, but: Tokens that were sold for this summer’s Club World Cup quickly drew backlash. Buyers complained that they got no clear timeline, pricing, or seat details for the tickets, with many actually paying more in the end than if they’d just bought through Ticketmaster on game day.—LA