Father bought World Cup tickets for $7,440 - and then found out they had been changed

A father who spent a significant amount of money on FIFA World Cup tickets for himself and his family was left surprised to learn that their seats had been changed without warning. The father, who wished to remain anonymous, told Newsweek he bought four first-class tickets to Game 74 on June 29 at Gillette Stadium in Boston during the latest phase of FIFA ticket sales. This is the fourth and final phase of the FIFA ticket program, where tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis rather than through a lottery. Customers can select a match, available seats and buy them instantly. “I planned to take my family, including my 11-year-old son, who is one of the biggest football fans I know,” he said. "My son plays on two different football teams and when he's not playing, he watches English Premier League or La Liga matches. When there aren't matches on TV, he usually plays FC 26 on his Nintendo Switch. For him, the World Cup is not just a sporting event, it's something he dreams of seeing in person."Since his son is a "potential goalkeeper," the father carefully selected the locations to make the event special. "I specifically chose the seats in the corner flag section - Row 1, Seats 1-4. I paid a significant amount because I wanted my family to have the best view of the action and the opportunity to interact with the players before or after the match," he said. “For a young goalie to be so close to the field and see goalies warming up and in action up close is a completely different experience than sitting a few rows back.” $7,440, April 21. FIFA sent a confirmation showing the specific sector, row and seat numbers he had selected and purchased. He then began planning the family's trip to Boston. But a few weeks later, on June 1, he discovered that something had changed. “I checked my tickets online and found that FIFA had moved us,” he said. “Seats have been moved to another section, three sections closer to the center line, and moved from row 1 to row 3.” While some may consider the new seats an improvement because they are closer to the middle of the field, he was not happy. “I deliberately chose front row seats,” he added. "The whole reason I paid such a significant amount was because of that front row experience."What bothered him the most was that FIFA never contacted him about the changes. “I was not consulted, given a choice or even notified,” he said. "I only discovered the changes when I checked my tickets myself a few weeks later." The father wrote to FIFA asking for him to be returned to his original seats or to be provided with comparable alternatives in the front row. He also called the FIFA box office "several times" but was unable to speak to a representative. “I don’t understand what consumers are buying or what the point is in being able to select and purchase specific locations, get confirmation, and then move them without notice,” he said.Newsweek contacted FIFA for comment. The organization did not provide an official statement for publication. It is understood that the sites were initially relocated due to visibility issues. A post-purchase review was conducted which revealed that two locations had limited visibility. It is unclear why this review was only conducted after tickets were sold, or why issues with the limited review were not noted during the initial purchase process. It is also unclear why the father was never notified of the change. It is understood that FIFA is currently undergoing an internal review to improve communication in the future. After Newsweek contacted FIFA, the father and his family were moved to a secondary seat - back to where he wanted, closer to the pitch, to front row seats. The father told Newsweek that he is now very pleased with the result and is looking forward to traveling with his family to the World Cup.