German court orders FIFA to halt opaque World Cup ticket sales

A regional court in Frankfurt issued a preliminary injunction requiring FIFA to stop the use of “manipulative” and non‑transparent ticket‑selling methods for the 2026 World Cup. The ruling, brought by the online resale platform Ticombo, obliges the federation to disclose the identity and address of professional sellers before a purchase is completed and bans the use of “dark‑pattern” design that steers fans toward higher‑priced tickets. Non‑compliance could lead to fines of up to €250,000 per violation and imprisonment of up to six months for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary‑general Mattias Grafström. Similar legal actions have been reported in Spain and other jurisdictions, signalling a broader push for consumer‑rights enforcement in major sports events.