FIFA has removed World Cup tickets for matches at Toronto’s BMO Field stadium from their official resale marketplace after the Canadian province of Ontario passed ​legislation last week banning the reselling of event tickets above face ‌value.

The bill, called the ‘Putting Fans First Act’, says no person shall make a ticket available for sale on the secondary market or facilitate the sale of a ticket on the secondary ​market for an amount that exceeds the ticket’s face value.

FIFA operates ​the official resale and exchange marketplace for eligible ticket holders, which ⁠it says aims to protect fans and is subject to federal and local ​regulations, and has now acted after Ontario’s 2026 budget bill passed on Thursday.

Tickets are ​currently available on FIFA’s marketplace for all 15 other venues and for every match at the World Cup apart from the six games in Toronto, which include Canada’s opening fixture against ​Bosnia on June 12.

Face-value tickets are currently on sale as part of FIFA’s ​last-minute sales phase, and additional tickets will continue to be released to the public on ‌an ongoing ⁠basis until the World Cup final on July 19, subject to availability.

FIFA’s latest figures show more than five million tickets have already been sold, out of an expected total of just over six million for the tournament, but soccer’s world ​governing body has faced ​criticism over pricing, ⁠not helped by its use of the variable pricing method and the resale market.

Ticket holders can resell on FIFA’s marketplace ​at any price, with one seller asking for almost $11.5 million ​for a ⁠Category 3 ticket for the final.

FIFA has defended its secondary market model, saying it is a not-for-profit organisation and revenue generated is reinvested into the global development of ⁠football.

Tickets ​for the games in Toronto are expected to ​be relisted on FIFA’s marketplace in line with Ontario’s new legislation.

The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., ​Canada and Mexico, starts on June 11.

-Reuters

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

FIFA is considering a significant tweak to its disciplinary rules ahead of this summer’s expanded World Cup, with plans to introduce an additional yellow card amnesty stage.

The proposal, which will be discussed at a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday, would see players’ yellow cards cleared twice during the tournament — after the group stage and again following the quarter-finals.

Under the current system, players who accumulate two yellow cards at any point up to and including the quarter-finals are suspended for the next match.

However, with the new 48-team format set to debut across the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA believes the existing rule could unfairly sideline players during crucial knockout fixtures.

The expanded competition introduces an additional round, increasing the number of matches players must navigate before reaching the latter stages. As a result, the governing body is seeking to reduce the likelihood of key players missing high-stakes games such as semi-finals due to accumulated bookings.

If approved, the change would mark a notable shift in tournament regulations, aimed at preserving competitive balance while adapting to the demands of the larger World Cup format

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

FIFA’s member associations meet in Vancouver on Thursday for their annual congress, a ​usually routine gathering that carries greater weight this year with the 2026 World Cup less than two months away ‌and several questions still hanging over the first 48-team edition of the tournament.

The biggest World Cup in history will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

One of the clearest concerns is cost.

The sheer scale of staging a tournament across North America, with long-haul travel, ​differing tax regimes and significant operational demands, has prompted unease among some participating nations.

UEFA has passed on concerns from several ​European associations that teams could find it difficult to break even unless they progress deep into the ⁠competition.

FIFA, for its part, is expected to point to the unprecedented commercial strength of the tournament.

The governing body has indicated it is ​prepared to raise prize money and participation payments beyond already record levels, presenting the expanded World Cup as a vehicle for wider ​redistribution rather than simply a bigger payday for the strongest teams.

Its argument is that more nations, more matches and greater revenues will ultimately mean more money flowing into development programmes and solidarity funding across the global game.

Iran’s participation is the most politically sensitive item on FIFA’s agenda.

Iran have qualified for the World ​Cup, but security and travel concerns around their matches in the United States have prompted officials in Tehran to seek guarantees and ​request alternative venues.

FIFA has rejected any change to the schedule, saying teams are expected to play as planned.

Visa access and travel restrictions are also expected ‌to be ⁠closely watched.

Officials from the Palestinian Football Association were recently denied entry to Canada for a pre-congress meeting, underlining the practical obstacles that can arise when sport, border policy and international politics collide.

However, Palestinian association vice president Susan Shalabi and president Jibril Rajoub have both now been granted visas and are expected to attend the congress, FIFA told Reuters on Monday.

Shalabi has already arrived in Vancouver while Rajoub is ​expected on Tuesday.

FIFA says it is ​working with host governments to ⁠help facilitate access for delegations, although the final list of attending associations will not be confirmed until the congress begins.

The wider logistics of the 2026 World Cup remain a defining theme. A tournament spread ​across three countries, multiple time zones and vast distances will test teams, supporters, broadcasters and organisers ​in ways no ⁠previous World Cup has.

Some federations have raised concerns privately, but FIFA argues that a multi-host model is essential for a 48-team event and reflects the future scale and ambition of the competition.

For Vancouver, then, the task is not only to celebrate the approach of a landmark World Cup ⁠but to ​smooth the final edges before the June 11 kickoff.

FIFA expects the 2026 tournament ​to be the largest and most lucrative in its history, with projected revenues of around $13 billion for the current cycle. The challenge now is to ensure that its ​expanded vision of the World Cup feels not only bigger, but workable, fair and genuinely global.

-Reuters

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H