Ticket scams could dash England fans’ World Cup dreams
Losses from ticket scams are hitting record highs.
World Cup season is nearly upon us, kicking off on the 11 June, and, for England fans, the anxiety is intense.
We’ve seen all this before; sixty years of hope, only to be shattered in defeat. But, this year, we might just do it. It’s a squad stuffed with talent: the likes of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are on top-form, and the team was unbeaten in qualifiers, with zero goals conceded. With all this possibility, fans across the country are scraping together the pennies to afford those sort-after World Cup tickets.
Still, that brings a whole new risk into play: fans could lose thousands from ticket scams.
Banks urge caution, amidst huge losses
Losses from tickets scams are hitting record highs. Santander has revealed that, between January and September 2025, football ticket scams robbed its UK customers of over £152,000, in a £30,000 increase from the same period the previous year.
As anticipation grows for the World Cup, banks warn that these numbers are likely to go up.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, has warned: “it is easy for fans to get swept up in the excitement. Unfortunately, scammers are ready to take advantage of that enthusiasm.”
Keep your money safe
Officials at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) encourage fans to take care when purchasing tickets. Tickets will not be sold at stadiums, and printed tickets or screenshots are unlikely to be accepted. Ticketholders may also be required to show IDs.
Laura Carter, head of fraud customer experience at Santander, advises fans: “Make sure the website you are buying from is secure. When buying online, check the payment pages by looking for the padlock symbol in the address bar. The website should start with ‘https’.”
Some supporters prefer prepaid payment methods when buying online, and may choose to recharge PaysafeCard instead of entering bank or credit card details directly, particularly when purchasing from unfamiliar sites. Customers are advised against paying via bank transfer or PayPal.
Outrageous costs
The problem is only made worse by the astronomic ticket prices, as fans desperately scramble for cheap alternatives. Tickets for the final range from £3,119 to £6,491. With the cost of travel and accommodation already through the roof, it’s no surprise that people are assessing their options.
But searching for cheap tickets will almost certainly lead to disappointment. The FCDO states that fans should only buy tickets through the official FIFA website.