B.C. launches probe into StubHub over World Cup resale ticket fiasco

british people Columbia's Attorney superior general Niki Sharma has proclaimed an investigating into StubHub, the online fine resale site, over its handling of tickets for the FIFA World Cup.

Sharma called reports of people in B.C. Purchasing tickets without receiving them "deeply concerning."

"Major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 should be an exciting experience and people should not have to worry about whether the tickets they purchased on StubHub will be honoured," she said.

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Though Sharma wouldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation, she said the province is closely monitoring the situation.

"I understand Consumer Protection B.C., which independently administers B.C.'s Ticket Sales Act, is currently investigating these complaints to see if the law has been broken," she said.

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"While I cannot comment on this investigation directly, and StubHub has publicly committed to honouring its refund guarantees to fans, I want people to know they may have options available to them if they have been affected."

Stubhub has blamed the event organizer FIFA's ticketing technology for difficulties delivering fans thousands of tickets.

However, industry insiders say professional scalpers have been either cancelling and reselling for bigger profits — or failing to deliver on orders for "speculative tickets."

Scott Friedman, a 20-year ticketing industry executive in Cleveland and host of the Ticket Talk Network podcast, says StubHub is famous for this practice, not just for the World Cup, but for other events around the world as well.

"It’s that they allow speculative ticketing," he said. "Basically sellers selling tickets they don't have."

The practice, banned in a handful of U.S. States, has been blamed for similar mass cancellation ticket fiascos involving high-profile tours by Oasis and Olivia Rodrigo.

Kirat Malik of Vancouver says she had to repurchase tickets to Canada’s match against Qatar on June 18 at B.C. Place directly from FIFA after she says the ones she bought from StubHub were cancelled by the platform.

She says she's pleased someone is looking into StubHub's business practices.

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"StubHub took my money, and my time and still have not refunded us. Also taking away the experience we were supposed to have of a lifetime without any compensation, it's nonsense."

Dave Seglins is an investigative journalist whose recent work includes exposés on global ticket scalping, offshore tax avoidance and government surveillance. He covers a range of domestic and international issues, including rail safety, policing, government and corporate corruption.

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