FIFA World Cup 2026 faces surge in fake ticket and merchandise sites

Security firms have identified a wave of fraudulent websites that mimic the official FIFA site for the 2026 World Cup. The scams use typosquatting and replica designs to sell non‑existent tickets, merchandise and collect personal data. Over 4,300 fraudulent domains have been registered since August, many targeting fans in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe, with more than 300 operated by a single Chinese‑language actor. The FBI warned of dozens of sites impersonating fifa.com, while Canadian police seized more than 16,000 counterfeit shirts and flags. Experts advise fans to access only the official FIFA portal, verify domain names and avoid unsolicited ads or social‑media links.

The warning has been echoed by cybersecurity companies ESET, Group‑IB and Bitdefender, which have tracked the campaigns across multiple languages and platforms. Authorities in the host nations have urged consumers to purchase tickets and collectibles only through verified channels to avoid losing money and personal information.