UK households have been issued a warning by Lloyds Bank about the risk of losing hundreds of pounds to football ticket scams this summer. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, criminals are exploiting high demand for sought-after matches, with fans losing an average of £215 to ticketing fraud throughout the current Premier League season. Some victims have lost thousands of pounds.
Rise in football ticket scams
Lloyds Bank reported that football ticket scams have increased by 36 per cent over the past six months compared with the same period last year, while the total sum stolen rocketed by 42 per cent. Almost a third (32 per cent) of all ticket scams were football-related, highlighting how fraudsters are targeting supporters desperately trying to secure seats for major fixtures.
World Cup concerns
With the World Cup, taking place across the United States, Canada and Mexico, just weeks away, government ministers and financial institutions are concerned the problem will worsen. Fans seeking tickets for leading clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are among those most commonly targeted, along with prestigious matches including the FA Cup Final and Champions League Final.
How scammers operate
Scammers usually entice victims by offering difficult-to-obtain tickets, then vanish once payment has been received. Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: "Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard-to-get tickets for big-name fixtures. Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media - especially Facebook and Instagram - before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It's incredibly convincing, and we don't want fans to lose their money trying to support their team."
Government and bank collaboration
The alert arrives as the Home Office joins forces with Lloyds to champion its Stop! Think Fraud initiative. Fraud minister Lord Hanson said: "As excitement builds for the World Cup, fraudsters are preparing to exploit loyal fans searching for tickets. I urge all football supporters hunting for tickets to Stop! Think Fraud and show fraudsters the red card. Only buy directly from FIFA or the FIFA resale marketplace."
