FIFA cancels charity World Cup ticket auction that would benefit those with major spinal injuries

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Content writer covering football, formula 1 and movies

FIFA has blocked a charity auction giving away World Cup tickets that would have benefited those suffering from spinal injuries in Vancouver.

At the beginning of May, non-profit organisation Spinal Cord Injury BC planned an auction that would allow participants to pay $20 for one entry into a raffle or $50 for three entries into the raffle for two World Cup match tickets for New Zealand against Egypt at BC Place on June 21.

The two Category 2 tickets were located in the lower tier of the stadium. As per FIFA’s April 16 ticket drop, these tickets appear to be worth $380 per seat.

Weeks later, Spinal Cord Injury BC received cease-and-desist letters from Lipkus Law, a Canadian firm representing FIFA who said that the auction was ‘violating trademark and ticketing policy’ at the soccer governing body.

Chris McBride, an executive director of Spinal Cord Injury BC, told The Athletic that the legal letter “told us we were in violation of FIFA’s trademark and their ticketing policy.”

According to their official website, Spinal Cord Injury BC aims "to help people with spinal cord injury (and related disabilities) and their families adjust, adapt and thrive as they deal with a new injury or struggle with the ongoing challenges of living and ageing with a physical disability."

FIFA’s ticketing regulations for the World Cup state that those who have purchaed a ticket may not use it for “advertising, contests, sweepstakes, or other commercial, promotional and marketing activities (including as the prize or award in connection with such activities)”

The organisation has committed to donating $1 from every World Cup ticket towards the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

In response to questions from The Athletic about Spinal Cord Injury BC, a FIFA spokesperson said: “While FIFA fully recognises and supports the important work carried out by charities around the world, such use of tickets is not permitted under FIFA’s ticketing framework… These provisions are intended to protect the integrity and fair allocation of tickets, ensure that access is provided through controlled and secure channels, and safeguard the commercial rights that underpin the organisation and delivery of the FIFA World Cup.

“FIFA remains committed to ensuring that the tournament delivers a positive and lasting impact off the pitch, while maintaining a fair, transparent and secure ticketing environment for all fans.”

McBride said that the charity ultimately had no choice but to stop the auction.

“We complied with the trademark issue and decided that it was not worth the time and risk involved to move forward with the raffle," he explained.

"As a charitable non-profit organisation, the revenue we bring in is essential for our services and the impact we make through them. In this case, the modest amount of revenue we anticipated making would have helped support our services, but it is those services we need to focus our energy on.

“While disappointed that we can’t benefit from the World Cup being hosted in our province and to provide our dedicated supporters — most who would not be able to afford or access the tickets, with an opportunity to attend a game — we have to respect FIFA’s policies, etc and we did not see going back and forth with FIFA as a reasonable use of our time, especially as we didn’t see a path to a meaningful outcome.”

From those who already purchased raffle tickets, some have been refunded, while others have simply donated the cash back to the charity.

The staff member who purchased the tickets intends to sell them on FIFA's official resale platform to raise money for the charity, but FIFA will take a 15% comission cut on both tickets.