What the StubHub World Cup lawsuit means for burned ticket buyers

The World Cup is over, but for fans whose tickets never showed up, the fight is just starting. A Vancouver man is suing StubHub after spending more than $19,000 on World Cup tickets he never received. His lawsuit, filed July 15 in a British Columbia court, asks a judge to let other burned ticket buyers join him in a class action. Here's what happened, what the lawsuit claims and what it could mean for other fans. What happened to his tickets? Mark Gallagher bought tickets in March to two Canada matches in Vancouver. The big purchase was $11,407.11 for two seats to Canada vs. Qatar on June 18, plus $2,011.28 for two more. He also paid $5,765.15 for two seats to Canada vs. Switzerland. Fees alone came to more than $4,000 across the orders. Four days before the Qatar match, StubHub told him his most expensive tickets were ready. They weren't. When he followed the delivery instructions, nothing was there. Every time he contacted StubHub's help line, the lawsuit says, he heard the same thing: his case had been "escalated," and the tickets would arrive the "next day." As kickoff got closer, the "next day" became "two to three hours;" He stayed on the line until 4 a.m. on match day. He even went to BC Place stadium, still believing the tickets would land in his inbox. Just before kickoff, StubHub told him the truth: there were no tickets. What does the lawsuit allege? There are three big claims in the notice of civil complaint. First, that StubHub sold tickets it never had. The suit says StubHub listed World Cup tickets months before FIFA released any seats. That means some of what fans bought did not exist. Second, that the endless "next day" promises were by design. The lawsuit claims StubHub trained help line staff to say the same reassuring things whether they were true or not. Third, that StubHub broke its own promise. The Fan Protect Guarantee tells buyers they'll get their tickets in time, or get comparable seats, a refund or a credit. Gallagher says he got none of that even though similar seats to the Qatar match were on the StubHub site at the time. StubHub has not responded in court yet and has up to 49 days to do so. USA TODAY reached out to the company for comment. None of the allegations have been proven in court. Could this affect you? The proposed class covers people who bought resale tickets through StubHub or viagogo for events in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Quebec or Ontario since March 31, 2025, and either never got their tickets or got different ones than they paid for. That means U.S. fans who got burned on tickets in Miami, Dallas or Seattle aren't covered by this suit. But if a Canadian court certifies the class and the claims hold up, don't be surprised if similar lawsuits follow on this side of the border. StubHub sold World Cup tickets on the same platform everywhere. What happens next? A judge first has to decide whether the case can proceed as a class action. That will take months at a minimum. If it's certified, eligible fans would be notified about how to join. The suit is asking for refunds, StubHub fees back and additional damages.