Mexico 14‑million‑peso ticket fraud uncovered ahead of 2026 World Cup

Edgar Daniel Ramírez Arévalo is accused of defrauding football fans by taking roughly 14 million pesos for supposed exclusive tickets to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca. He promised seats priced between 23,000 and 90,000 pesos, received bank transfers, and then vanished after June 9, falsely claiming his mother had died. Mexican authorities in the State of Mexico filed a missing‑person notice, later locating him alive, while dozens of buyers have organized criminal complaints to demand refunds.

The scandal surfaces amid broader backlash over World Cup ticket prices. Journalist Carlos Loret de Molena mocked the costs, saying “Solo los narcos irán al Mundial” (“Only drug traffickers will be able to afford the World Cup”), yet he was later spotted in the stadium attending matches, drawing accusations of hypocrisy on social media.