HOUSTON – Houston is set to host FIFA World Cup matches, but some fans say they’re paying hundreds of dollars for tickets without fully understanding what they’re getting.
Mauricio Arcos spent nearly $900 on two Category 2 tickets for the June 20 match, only to discover his tickets were in what he calls the “nosebleed” section.
“You don’t really know which seats you are buying,” Arcos said.
During a 10-minute purchase window, he was given four options — Category 1 through 4 — with Category 1 being the best. He could see the game, the price and the category, but not his exact seats.
He chose Category 2, expecting a great view. Weeks later, he discovered he was placed at the very top of the stadium in Section 611.
“It’s a nosebleed section on row R, which is literally like three rows below the very top. So then my question, ok? Where are people sitting in category 3 and 4?” Arcos said.
Arcos isn’t alone. According to a crowdsourced survey called the Seat Transparency Project, 74% of Houstonians who received tickets through the lottery system ended up in the corners or top end rows — arguably some of the worst seats in the stadium.
“It’s not fair,” Arcos said.
Ticket broker Kayla Ramsey — known as “The Ticket Queen” — says the category system can be misleading for fans. While FIFA does provide a stadium map showing possible category areas, Ramsey says even she was surprised by where Category 2 seats can end up.
“I am very surprised. He should have at least gotten right here,” Ramsey said pointing to seats in a much lower section.
Ramsey says FIFA does note that categories can change by match. She even found language confirming that category 2 seats can include upper-tier sections — though she says buyers could easily miss that fine print.
“Those [hist] tickets should be category four tickets,” Ramsey said. “It’s a bummer.”
KPRC 2 reached out to FIFA asking how ticket categories are assigned and why so many Category 2 seats fall into the upper areas of the stadium, and didn’t hear back.
“What happened to all of the good seats?” Ramsey asked.
Despite his frustration, Arcos says he still plans to attend. He wants others to know to do their research and understand what they’re buying before spending the money. Ramsey says the same.
“My best advice is probably wait it out a little bit, look for a couple days, don’t jump right into a website and say I want these category two tickets,” Ramsey said.