A CBC News investigation has found that StubHub, a major ticket resale platform, allowed the listing and apparent sale of speculative or “ghost” tickets for major sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup, months before official tickets were released by organisers.

Evidence gathered by CBC suggests that listings for World Cup matches appeared as early as August 2024, well before FIFA issued any seats in September 2025.

Buyers who purchased these tickets often later discovered they did not exist or could not be fulfilled, leaving some fans stranded at venues after travelling long distances and paying significant sums.

Several affected customers reported that sellers listed tickets without assigned seat or row information, or sold tickets they did not yet possess, relying on the expectation that they would later secure them.

In multiple cases, orders were cancelled shortly before match time when sellers failed to obtain the promised tickets, resulting in financial loss and missed events.

StubHub has stated that it does not allow speculative ticketing and has blamed cancellations on issues with ticket supply chains and event organisers’ ticketing systems.

However, CBC was able to replicate the posting of non-existent tickets, including for future events such as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, highlighting weaknesses in verification controls.

The investigation also found similar listings for upcoming events like the Super Bowl on multiple resale platforms, often without confirmed seating details.

Critics, including industry advocates and consumer protection groups, argue that these practices amount to deceptive or fraudulent conduct and have called for stronger regulation, including bans on speculative ticket sales and resale price caps.

Some jurisdictions in Canada and the United States have already introduced laws restricting such practices, while others are considering similar measures.

StubHub maintains that sellers may have “paths to obtaining” tickets through allotments or agreements, but regulators and advocates are increasingly calling for tighter enforcement and clearer consumer protections.