World Cup fans looking for official hospitality packages are being targeted by fake FIFA-style websites built to steal logins, card details, and bank verification codes.
The pages are dangerous because they do not look like lazy knockoffs. TrendLife reported that researchers found a convincing copy of the official FIFA On Location hospitality portal, with copied branding, team badges, real-looking legal links, and a checkout flow designed to feel like a normal ticket purchase.
The fake site first asks fans to log in with an email and password. TrendLife said the page has no connection to FIFA’s real account system and lets users continue no matter what they enter, a sign that the login screen is there to collect credentials.
The checkout step is the bigger trap. Researchers said the fake page captures card details in real time, then asks the victim to enter a bank verification code after criminals try to use the stolen card elsewhere. The fan sees what looks like an order confirmation while the stolen code may be used to approve an unauthorized transaction.
The Fake Site Copies A Trusted FIFA Buying Experience
The real FIFA World Cup 2026 hospitality portal says On Location is the only official hospitality provider and that ticket-inclusive hospitality packages are sold through On Location and officially appointed sales agents. The official hospitality site also warns that packages and tickets from unofficial channels may not be valid.
TrendLife reported that the copycat page used FIFA and On Location branding, loaded some real assets from legitimate servers, linked to real FIFA social accounts, and displayed authentic-looking legal documents.
TrendLife said the fake operation used a domain ending in “.shop,” while official FIFA hospitality routes point fans back through FIFA’s own web presence.
The FBI Has Already Warned About Spoofed FIFA Sites
The scam matches a broader warning from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. In a May 27 public service announcement, the FBI warned that cybercriminals are spoofing FIFA websites during the 2026 World Cup to collect personal information, sell fake tickets and hospitality products, and possibly support other malicious activity.
The FBI said spoofed domains may use misspellings, alternate endings, or official-sounding names to trick fans into believing they are on a real FIFA page. The bureau listed examples involving fake ticket pages, FIFA-style domains, and job-related pages.
The Checkout Code Is The Real Danger
The TrendLife example shows why a polished payment page can be more dangerous than a messy phishing form.
A fan enters card details on what appears to be a legitimate checkout page. Researchers said the criminals receive that information in real time and then try a separate transaction using the stolen card details.
When the bank sends a verification code by text, the fake checkout page asks the fan to enter it as if it were part of the hospitality purchase. TrendLife said the criminals can capture that code and use it to complete the unauthorized transaction.
That step turns a security feature into the final handoff. The code is supposed to protect the cardholder, but it can approve the wrong purchase if the victim types it into a fake page controlled by criminals.
World Cup Scams Are Spreading Beyond One Fake Page
FortiGuard Labs reported that World Cup-themed cybercrime infrastructure is already active. From January to May 2026, researchers found more than 13,000 new FIFA World Cup 2026-themed domains, and about 8.8% were identified as malicious or suspicious through pattern analysis and scam activity.
The company also said counterfeit ticketing sites are one of the highest-risk lures because they exploit scarcity. Fans who cannot find official tickets may be pushed toward resale pages, social media groups, Telegram channels, search ads, and peer-to-peer sellers.
FortiGuard Labs also identified more than 1,700 suspected FIFA-related impersonation accounts and channels across social media and messaging platforms, with nearly 90% found on Facebook and Instagram.
Fans Should Start With FIFA, Not Search Ads
The Federal Trade Commission says remaining World Cup tickets are available through FIFA.com/tickets and the FIFA app. Resale tickets are also available through FIFA’s resale marketplace and some third-party resale platforms.
The FTC warns fans to watch for copycat websites pushed through paid search results or social media. It also says most tickets will be delivered electronically through the FIFA app, and that someone selling a paper ticket or screenshot is likely not offering a legitimate ticket.
Fans who entered a password on a suspicious FIFA-style site should change it immediately, especially if they reused it elsewhere. Anyone who entered card details or a bank verification code should contact the card issuer or bank right away.
The FBI asks victims to report spoofed FIFA websites to IC3.gov, including the fake domain, details about the interaction, payment information, dates, amounts, account numbers involved, and any cryptocurrency addresses if applicable.
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