Дата публикации: 22-06-2026 15:03:29

A few days before Messi Monday, a North Texas family learned their World Cup tickets, purchased on a third-party platform, couldn’t be delivered. They asked NBC 5 for help.
‘COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS’
Wearing Argentina’s away jersey, 15-year-old Cade Tolin headed to Dallas Stadium to see his favorite player, Lionel Messi, take the pitch in the World Cup.
“I’ve just been waiting, counting down the days,” Tolin said.
But it almost didn’t happen.
About a week before the match, Tolin’s mom, Jennifer Stevens, said she received a notification from StubHub. The tickets the family bought in November were not available. The search for replacement tickets showed no other options.
“Mom panic sets in at the highest level,” Stevens said. “You want to make things happen for your kid. You want their dreams to come true. We called StubHub. My husband spent hours on the phone. There was just no resolution,” Stevens told NBC 5 Responds.
Stevens said the two tickets were a Christmas gift for Tolin, purchased for a few hundred dollars before the family knew what teams were playing at Dallas Stadium. It would turn out they had tickets to the June 22 match between Austria and defending World Cup Champions Argentina.
“For kids, for a worldwide opportunity to celebrate unity instead of division, to celebrate something that brings us together,” said Stevens. “For families to have to struggle at the end of the day because the price tag is bigger or better, it’s just really hard.”
NEW TICKETS
Stevens contacted NBC 5. In an email to NBC 5 Responds, StubHub wrote, “Our Customer Care Team is in contact with the family and securing them tickets to the match. We understand that attending the World Cup represents a significant investment in time and money, and we take our responsibility to every fan who books through our platform seriously.”
StubHub also wrote, “Many of the issues fans are facing trace back to the event organizer’s poor technology infrastructure, newly-announced transfer restrictions, and a new app that was launched just a month ago ahead of such a major event. All of these decisions by the event organizer have created significant confusion and delays for fans.”
StubHub continued, “Regardless of the cause, when sellers don’t deliver tickets on time, StubHub investigates and takes action, including permanent bans and financial penalties. Every order on StubHub is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee: if a ticket doesn’t arrive or isn’t valid for entry, we work to find a replacement, issue a full refund or send a 120% credit to fans.”
NBC 5 Responds asked FIFA about the Stevens’ tickets.
In an email, a FIFA spokesperson wrote, “FIFA.com/tickets (primary ticket sales and the official resale/exchange platform) is the official ticket sales channel for the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA can guarantee the validity and delivery of tickets purchased through its official platforms.”
When NBC 5 read through FIFA’s FAQ section of its website, it said, “If you purchased tickets through a third-party platform, please contact them directly. We are unable to access or manage tickets purchased outside of FIFA’s official sales channels.”
It also said, “We strongly encourage you to purchase all tickets only through FIFA.com/tickets, the official and preferred source for FIFA World Cup 2026™ tickets.”
The website noted, “Transferring tickets to third-party platforms or accounts is discouraged as it may result in issues, including the inability to cancel or accept transfers. To ensure a secure and valid transfer process between FIFA accounts, please use the Ticket Transfer feature.”
FANS’ ADVICE
Stevens said the family bought tickets where they could find them to send Tolin to a World Cup match.
“He’s the best kid. He’s a straight-A student and works hard,” Stevens said of Tolin.
Ticket trouble resolved for young North Texas soccer fan (Stevens Family)
When his soccer dream almost didn’t come true, Stevens said persistence is likely what paid off.
“We would have stayed on the phone with StubHub till this morning,” Stevens said. “I don’t know if it ever would have played out. But what I do know is if you give up, it won’t work, so keep going.”
Ticket trouble resolved for young North Texas soccer fan (Stevens Family)
NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.
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