The first 2026 FIFA World Cup match in Toronto is set to take place exactly six months from now, but experts are warning that scammers are already operating and targeting fans who are desperate to be part of the action amid sky-high demand.
CityNews spoke with two technology specialists about the potential for fans to be scammed. They noted that the rapid rise of artificial intelligence can dupe tech-savvy residents.
“Thanks to AI, it’s really easy to get the logos right, get the fonts right, make it look absolutely perfect,” technology analyst Carmi Levy warned.
“Cyber criminals count on us assuming that we’re smarter than that and that we can’t be caught. That kind of attitude can really get you into trouble.”
FIFA implemented a strict process for purchasing tickets, making tickets difficult to score in the first place. However, it appears a tidal wave of fake websites popped up purporting to have tickets for sale.
According to the Canadian-based online security company Check Point, “more than 4,300 newly registered domains bearing the language of FIFA, the World Cup, or its host cities surfaced across the internet” in August and September alone.
“The scale is unprecedented and part of that is technology. It just allows the same scammers to cover more ground. It also invites more scammers into the environment, into this kind of crime,” Levy said.
It wasn’t just counterfeit tickets that these fake websites were looking to peddle, Check Point advised, adding there were promotions of illicit streaming of games and fake merchandise.
“That’s only the ones being documented. Think about how many different languages are at play here. Think about the people that are buying tickets for this event from other parts of the world that don’t know what the geography of Canada is like or America is like. It’s going to get really, really bad,” Mohit Rajhans, a media and technology expert with Think Smart Inc., said.
“It’s no longer a computer whiz that is needed to actually put this together. You and I can make this happen and run some of these scams just from our phones alone.”
Experts said some of your main defences heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be vigilance and skepticism. They encouraged prospective buyers to be wary of offers on social media, refrain from clicking links in emails and texts, and always report suspected fraud to police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
“Assume that everything is not legitimate until proven otherwise,” Levy said.
“If your search history leans towards the fact that you’ve been looking for a while, chances are you will be the target of some sort of thing that is a little bit mysterious when it comes down to marketing, so be very wary,” Rajhans added.
Click here to access the official FIFA World Cup website and to get more information on tickets.
