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What the World Cup Can Teach Us About Ticket Transfers
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a tournament of firsts, the first 48-team World Cup, the first hosted across three countries, and the first to use dynamic pricing for tickets. It's also been a tournament where ticketing itself has made as many headlines as the football.
For an industry that lives and breathes ticketing, it’s been impossible not to watch closely. Fans have been vocal about what’s worked and what hasn’t and there’s a lot to learn from both sides.
What’s worked well
Everything in one digital system. FIFA built a single official platform for tickets, with everything remaining digital from purchase to matchday. For fans, that means one login, one app, and no juggling between different systems or printed documents.
Free transfers between friends and family. If plans change, ticket holders can transfer their ticket to someone else directly through the official app, at no cost. It’s quick, it’s safe, and it keeps tickets out of the hands of scalpers and fake listings.
Where it’s fallen short
Resale fees that eat into refunds. Fans reselling tickets through the official marketplace have a fee taken from both sides of the transaction. For someone simply trying to recoup the cost of a ticket they can no longer use, that’s a meaningful chunk of money lost before it even reaches them.
Long waits for money owed. Some fans who resold tickets months ago are still waiting for payment, despite promised turnaround times. When fans are relying on that money, delays like this erode trust fast.
Dynamic pricing uncertainty. For the first time at a World Cup, ticket prices shift in real time based on demand, much like an airline or hotel booking. While this might maximise revenue, it leaves fans unsure whether to buy now or wait, and can make prices feel unpredictable and, at times, eye-wateringly expensive.
Restricted windows and complexity. The official marketplace hasn’t been continuously open, it closed for over a month earlier this year while seat allocations were finalised. For fans trying to make last-minute changes, closed windows and shifting rules add friction at exactly the moment they need things to be simple.
The takeaway
Strip away the scale of a World Cup, and what’s left is a simple truth: fans want ticketing that is fair, simple and stress-free. They want to know their tickets are genuine, that prices won’t shift unexpectedly, and that if their plans change, sorting it out won’t cost them time or money.
This is exactly the thinking we bring to every event JustTikit powers, whatever the size. Free, instant ticket transfers mean fans can pass a ticket on to a friend or family member without fees or delays. Fully branded digital wallets give fans a smooth, trustworthy experience from purchase to entry. And transparent, fixed pricing means no surprises along the way.
We’ve already seen this in action. When Stalybridge Celtic FC ran Stalyfest on the JustTikit platform for the second year running, ticket transfers played a key part in giving fans the flexibility they needed, alongside features like VIP upgrades and local discount codes, all managed from one place.
The World Cup has shown the world what’s possible when ticketing goes digital — and also where things can go wrong when the fan experience becomes an afterthought. At JustTikit, we believe every event, whatever the size, deserves ticketing that puts fans first.
Want to find out how JustTikit can bring fair, flexible ticketing to your club, venue or event? Get in touch with our team today.sales@justtikit.com
