FIFA cracks down on World Cup tickets rights

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Using a 12-year-old law designed to combat hooliganism, FIFA has stepped in to stop online scalping of tickets for the English national team, part of a toughening stance the organization is adopting ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Germany. In conjunction with English Football Association (FA), ebay has agreed to remove any ads for English World Cup tickets, citing it as illegal under Criminal Justice and Public Order act of 1994. Consumers are still able to buy tickets for other countries.

Individuals would have a difficult time using tickets bought through a third party regardless of the ebay ban. Tickets to this year’s World Cup are branded with the purchaser’s name and stadium officials can insist on an ID at the gates. In addition, tickets are not transferable without the organising committee’s consent.

Nikki Ferguson, Associate at Eversheds law firm, said, “FIFA has clearly decided that enough is enough and is now flexing its muscles against ambush marketers, together with tough ticketing policies with id requirements and actively seeking the assistance of Internet companies, such as eBay in preventing sale where possible.”

Along with preventing ticketing improprieties, FIFA is also cracking down on unlicensed use of the World Cup for promotional use. This past month, FIFA ordered a Burger King in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem to cease and desist the use of FIFA tickets as a promotional prize. FIFA’s website states that more than 1,200 cases in 65 countries of improper use of license has been reported and more than 850 have been successfully halted. “We were confident that the court would confirm the enforcement of FIFA's rights, and we will continue to protect FIFA and its Partners' rights against unfair commercial exploitation of this nature,” commented Jerome Valcke, Director of FIFA's Marketing & TV Division. “FIFA regrets that corporations engage in ambush marketing activities and we will do our utmost to ensure that our Partners get the exclusivity they deserve in return for their considerable investment, which totals more than 642 million euros.”