“FIFA Halts Toronto World Cup Ticket Sales Over Price Cap Law”

FIFA’s ticket resale platform for World Cup matches in Toronto has removed all seats following the implementation of a new price limit last week. The recent Ontario law prohibits the resale of event tickets in the province at prices exceeding face value. FIFA is adjusting its resale platform to comply with the legislation, which became effective on Friday. Listings for Toronto’s World Cup games are currently on hold but are expected to be reinstated once the necessary system adjustments are made. While FIFA’s marketplace still offers tickets for World Cup games in other host cities, Toronto listings are temporarily unavailable. StubHub, another resale platform, is still selling tickets above face value for Toronto World Cup matches. Despite a recent discussion with Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, StubHub has yet to fully adhere to the new law due to unresolved issues. The company is updating its systems to ensure compliance with Bill 97, the price cap law. Failure to comply with the legislation may lead to penalties ranging from $3,000 to $250,000 for continuous violations. The Ontario government introduced the price cap legislation earlier this year in response to public outcry over exorbitant resale prices for events like the World Series and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The aim of the law is to safeguard fans and consumers from inflated ticket prices driven by professional resellers. Critics, however, fear that it may push buyers towards informal markets, increasing the risk of scams and inflating original ticket prices.