StubHub review: World cup tickets we not available after purchased dec 2025

I am writing to formally express my outrage and disappointment regarding StubHub's complete failure to honor its FanProtect Guarantee and to demand an appropriate resolution.
I purchased FIFA World Cup tickets through StubHub in December 2025, months in advance, relying on the assurance that StubHub stood behind every purchase through its FanProtect Guarantee. I paid for these tickets in good faith, entrusted StubHub with my money for over six months, and planned my attendance around the expectation that StubHub would deliver what was promised.
Then, just two days before the match, I received notification stating that my original tickets were no longer available and that replacement tickets were available.
However, when I attempted to secure those replacement tickets through your website, I was told there were no replacement tickets available.
This was demonstrably false.
At the very same time, I could clearly see inventory listed for sale for the exact match. Your own FanProtect policy states that if a seller cannot fulfill an order, StubHub will provide comparable or better replacement tickets or a full refund. Instead, I encountered a complete breakdown of customer service and a refusal to uphold the policy that influenced my decision to purchase through StubHub in the first place.
To make matters worse:
I called StubHub customer service three separate times.
I was disconnected twice after waiting for assistance.
I was repeatedly told that no replacement tickets existed, despite the fact that tickets remained available for purchase through various channels.
No meaningful effort was made to provide the comparable replacement seats guaranteed under FanProtect.
Because StubHub failed to fulfill its obligations, I had no choice but to secure replacement tickets elsewhere to avoid missing a once-in-a-lifetime event that had been planned for months.
I ultimately purchased the same tickets through Plum Benefits for approximately $3,000.
This amount was roughly $1,500 more than what I originally paid StubHub in December.
As a direct result of StubHub's failure to provide the tickets I purchased or honor the FanProtect Guarantee, I incurred substantial additional costs that I should never have had to bear.
Therefore, I am requesting the following:
A full refund of my original StubHub purchase;
Compensation for the additional $1,500 I was forced to spend to obtain comparable tickets elsewhere; and
A written explanation of why StubHub failed to honor its published FanProtect Guarantee despite replacement inventory appearing to be available.
This was not a minor inconvenience. This involved a globally significant event with limited availability, extensive planning, and substantial expense. StubHub held my funds for months, failed to provide the tickets purchased, failed to provide the promised replacements, and forced me to pay a significant premium elsewhere because of your inability—or unwillingness—to fulfill your contractual commitments.
If this matter cannot be resolved promptly and fairly, I am prepared to escalate it through all appropriate channels, including:
Filing complaints with the Better Business Bureau and my state Attorney General's Consumer Affairs Division;
Pursuing remedies through my credit card issuer and any applicable consumer protection processes; and
Sharing my experience publicly to ensure other consumers understand the risks associated with relying on StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee.
I ask that this matter be escalated immediately to your Executive Resolution Team and that I receive a response within 10 business days outlining how StubHub intends to make this right.
I trusted StubHub to stand behind its guarantee. StubHub failed to do so.