Viagogo

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A global online marketplace for buying and reselling tickets to sports, music, theatre, and other live events.

Last updated August 21, 2026

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First read: Nov 4, 2026
Latest read: Nov 4, 2026

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Overview

Viagogo is an online ticket exchange and resale marketplace founded in 2006 by Eric Baker, who had previously co-founded StubHub. The company was created after Baker observed that Europe lacked a large, organized secondary ticket marketplace. It launched in August 2006 with a focus on sports tickets and expanded into concerts, theatre, festivals, arts events, and other live entertainment. Rather than generally acting as the primary issuer of tickets, Viagogo connects buyers and sellers and earns commissions or service fees associated with completed transactions. In its early years, Viagogo pursued relationships with sports clubs, event organizers, performers, and promoters. Agreements involving organizations and individuals such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Madonna, the French Open, Bayern Munich, and the Really Useful Group helped establish the company as one of Europe's early large-scale ticket-resale platforms. Some arrangements made partners official resale channels and shared transaction revenue. The company also benefited from the complexity of European event-ticket distribution, where tickets could be released through multiple primary and secondary channels. Viagogo's growth was accompanied by persistent criticism over pricing, fee disclosure, ticket validity, speculative listings, customer support, and the risk that buyers might be refused entry when event organizers prohibited resale. Regulators and courts in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, and elsewhere challenged aspects of its marketing and operating practices. British authorities, for example, required clearer disclosure of seat information, ticket face value, seller identity, availability, and the possibility of being denied admission. Australian and New Zealand proceedings likewise focused on claims that the platform was an official seller, urgency and scarcity messages, and the presentation of total prices. The company expanded into Australia in 2013 and developed partnerships across sports and entertainment markets. It also became involved in disputes concerning tickets for major events, including UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Rammstein concerts, and benefit performances. These disputes illustrated the tension between open secondary marketplaces and event organizers that sought to control ticket distribution, prevent unauthorized resale, or preserve face-value pricing. In late 2019, Viagogo agreed to acquire StubHub from eBay for approximately US$4.05 billion. The transaction closed in February 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread cancellation and postponement of live events. The collapse in event activity severely affected ticket-resale demand and reportedly caused a substantial decline in Viagogo's revenue. The acquisition subsequently underwent competition review in the United Kingdom. Final clearance was obtained in 2021 after StubHub's operations outside North America were required to be sold to Digital Fuel Capital. Viagogo and StubHub were then placed under StubHub Holdings, with Eric Baker as chief executive of the combined group. Viagogo remains an active international ticket marketplace operating alongside StubHub within the StubHub Holdings structure. Its business model continues to center on secondary-market listings, transaction facilitation, buyer and seller protections, delivery arrangements, and commissions or fees. Its public reputation is shaped both by its broad availability of tickets and by continuing regulatory scrutiny over transparency and consumer protection.

History

Eric Baker founded Viagogo in 2006 after leaving StubHub, which he had co-founded. Based initially in London, the company sought to build a European secondary ticket market and officially launched on 18 August 2006. Its early inventory concentrated on sports but also covered concerts, theatre, and arts. Viagogo secured relationships with clubs, performers, governing bodies, and promoters, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Madonna, Bayern Munich, the French Open, and the Really Useful Group. These arrangements sometimes designated Viagogo as an official resale channel and shared fee revenue with partners. By 2008, the company had offices in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany and had become a significant European resale platform. Parliamentary and industry reviews recognized the usefulness of secondary marketplaces but called for stronger consumer safeguards, including restrictions on speculative listings and the resale of free charitable tickets. Sports organizations criticized high resale prices, and the England and Wales Cricket Board cancelled tickets that had been resold for a major tournament. A 2011 UK Supreme Court ruling required Viagogo to provide information about users who had resold Rugby Football Union tickets, reinforcing the ability of sports bodies to investigate unauthorized resale. Viagogo moved its offices from the UK to Switzerland in 2012 and continued developing partnerships with music promoters and European sports organizations. It launched in Australia in 2013 through agreements with Collingwood and Richmond football clubs, later entering arrangements involving Scottish Rugby, the Isle of Wight Festival, and FC Porto. At the same time, disputes intensified. Organizers and consumer advocates objected to high prices and alleged profiteering on charity-related events. UEFA pursued action concerning Euro 2016 tickets, and FIFA obtained German court relief concerning World Cup tickets. German courts also restricted sales of tickets for Rammstein concerts. The company faced especially sustained scrutiny in the UK. After reforms required more detailed ticket information, the Competition and Markets Authority and National Trading Standards investigated Viagogo and other resale platforms. The CMA later brought proceedings alleging inadequate disclosure of seat information, face value, seller identity, ticket availability, and the risk of being refused entry. In November 2018, the High Court ordered substantive changes. Further enforcement efforts in 2019 concerned alleged failures to comply fully with those requirements. The Advertising Standards Authority also referred fee-disclosure concerns to trading-standards authorities, while Google temporarily suspended Viagogo advertising. Australia and New Zealand pursued separate consumer-protection cases. Australia's competition regulator alleged that Viagogo misrepresented its official-seller status and used misleading pricing and scarcity claims; the Federal Court later ordered a A$7 million penalty. New Zealand proceedings alleged misleading statements about total prices, official status, availability, and ticket validity. The New Zealand litigation culminated in a 2024 High Court order requiring clearer website and contractual information, subject to appeal. Viagogo agreed in 2019 to acquire StubHub from eBay for approximately US$4.05 billion. The transaction closed in February 2020 just before pandemic restrictions halted much live entertainment. The resulting collapse in event activity caused severe disruption to the resale business and generated disputes over refunds for cancelled events. UK competition authorities reviewed the acquisition and required StubHub's non-North-American operations to be divested. Following final clearance in 2021, Viagogo and StubHub were organized under StubHub Holdings. Baker became chief executive of the combined group, and Nayaab Islam was appointed president in 2022. Viagogo continues as an active international ticket-resale brand.

2021
StubHub Holdings structure finalized
[2]CMA case: Viagogo / StubHubgov.uk
After UK competition clearance and divestment requirements, Viagogo and StubHub were placed under StubHub Holdings.
2020
StubHub purchase closes amid pandemic disruption
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
The acquisition closed shortly before COVID-19 severely reduced live events and ticket-resale activity.
2019
StubHub acquisition announced
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
Viagogo agreed to buy StubHub in a transaction valued at approximately US$4.05 billion.
2018
UK High Court orders consumer-information changes
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
The court ordered clearer disclosure of face value, seating, seller identity, availability, and entry risks.
2017
Australian regulatory proceedings begin
[3]ACCC: Viagogo ordered to pay $7 million for misleading consumersaccc.gov.au
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sued Viagogo over alleged misleading advertising and consumer representations.
2013
Australian launch
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
Viagogo entered Australia through partnerships with Collingwood and Richmond football clubs.
2012
Office move to Switzerland
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
Viagogo moved its offices from the United Kingdom to Switzerland while expanding entertainment partnerships.
2011
UK Supreme Court disclosure ruling
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
The court upheld an order requiring information about users who resold Rugby Football Union tickets.
2008
Expansion across Europe
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
The company had offices in the UK, Netherlands, and Germany and had become a substantial ticket-resale platform.
2006
Viagogo launches
[1]Viagogoen.wikipedia.org
Eric Baker founded and launched Viagogo in August as a European secondary ticket marketplace.

Products and positioning

A global secondary ticket marketplace emphasizing broad access to tickets for live sports, music, theatre, and entertainment events.

Ticket marketplace · 2006
Sports tickets
Sports tickets were Viagogo's original core category. Listings have covered football, rugby, tennis, cricket, and other sporting events across multiple markets. The marketplace model allows sellers to list tickets and buyers to search for inventory outside primary box-office channels, subject to event rules and local resale restrictions.
Ticket marketplace · 2006
Concert and festival tickets
Viagogo lists tickets for concerts, tours, festivals, and other live music events. The category has included major international performers and festivals, although organizers sometimes prohibit unauthorized resale or cancel tickets transferred through unapproved channels.
Ticket marketplace · 2006
Theatre and arts tickets
The platform also supports secondary sales for theatre, performing arts, and cultural events. These listings extend the marketplace beyond stadium and arena events and are handled through the same buyer-seller transaction model.

Controversies

2020
Pandemic refund litigation
Viagogo faced litigation concerning refunds for events cancelled during the COVID-19 shutdowns. The company denied withholding refunds, and a Florida judge declined to grant class-action status in 2021.
Source
2020
Australian Federal Court orders Viagogo to pay $7 million penalty
The Australian Federal Court ordered ticket reseller Viagogo to pay a $7 million penalty for misleading Australian consumers. The court found that Viagogo used claims suggesting it was an official seller and that events were nearly sold out, and did not adequately disclose additional ticket fees.
Source
2020
Viagogo fined $7 million for misleading Australian consumers
A Federal Court judge ordered Viagogo to pay a $7 million penalty for misleading Australian consumers. The court had found that the company breached Australian Consumer Law and made false or misleading representations. Viagogo said its platform had been overhauled since the court's initial decision.
Source
2020
UK regulator investigates Viagogo’s acquisition of StubHub
The UK Competition and Markets Authority launched a full investigation into Viagogo’s purchase of StubHub. The regulator could require the companies to address competition concerns, potentially by selling parts of their UK operations.
Source
2018
UK consumer-disclosure enforcement
UK authorities challenged Viagogo's disclosure of seat details, face value, seller identity, ticket availability, and the possibility of denied entry. The High Court ordered changes in November 2018.
Source
2018
New Zealand Fair Trading Act proceedings
New Zealand authorities alleged misleading representations concerning prices, official status, scarcity, and ticket validity. A 2024 court order required clearer website and contractual disclosures, and Viagogo appealed.
Source
2017
Australian misleading-advertising case
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleged that Viagogo misled consumers about official-seller status, ticket availability, urgency, and pricing. The Federal Court imposed a A$7 million penalty in 2020.
Source

2015Soundwave anti-fraud partnership
Australia
Viagogo partnered with the Soundwave festival in an effort associated with addressing fraudulent ticket sales.
Outcome. The partnership reflected the platform's attempt to address ticket-authenticity concerns through event relationships.
Source
2013Australian market launch
Australia
Viagogo launched in Australia with football-club partnerships involving Collingwood and Richmond, using local sports relationships to establish its resale marketplace.
Outcome. The brand established operations in Australia but later faced extensive consumer-protection scrutiny.
Source

Brand decisions

2021
Operate Viagogo and StubHub under StubHub HoldingsStrategy
Background
Competition approval for the StubHub acquisition required structural separation of certain international operations.
Action taken
Viagogo and StubHub were organized under StubHub Holdings, while StubHub's operations outside North America were sold to Digital Fuel Capital.
Aftermath
Eric Baker became chief executive of the combined group, with Viagogo continuing as an active brand.
Source
2019
Acquire StubHubM&A
Background
Viagogo sought to expand its international ticket-marketplace scale through the purchase of StubHub from eBay.
Action taken
The parties announced a transaction valued at approximately US$4.05 billion, which closed in February 2020.
Aftermath
The transaction was followed by UK competition review, divestment of StubHub's non-North-American operations, and the creation of StubHub Holdings.
Transaction value. Approximately US$4.05 billion (Announced in 2019; closed in February 2020)
Source

Recent events

2020.10.05
Reported2020.10.05
Australian Federal Court orders Viagogo to pay $7 million penalty[4]Australian Federal Court orders Viagogo to pay $7 million penaltybeat.com.au
The Australian Federal Court ordered ticket reseller Viagogo to pay a $7 million penalty for misleading Australian consumers. The court found that Viagogo used claims suggesting it was an official seller and that events were nearly sold out, and did not adequately disclose additional ticket fees.
2020.10.02
Reported2020.10.02
Viagogo fined $7 million for misleading Australian consumers[5]Viagogo fined $7 million for misleading Australian consumersabc.net.au
A Federal Court judge ordered Viagogo to pay a $7 million penalty for misleading Australian consumers. The court had found that the company breached Australian Consumer Law and made false or misleading representations. Viagogo said its platform had been overhauled since the court's initial decision.
2020.04.15
Reported2020.04.15
UK regulator investigates Viagogo’s acquisition of StubHub[6]UK regulator investigates Viagogo’s acquisition of StubHubtheguardian.com
The UK Competition and Markets Authority launched a full investigation into Viagogo’s purchase of StubHub. The regulator could require the companies to address competition concerns, potentially by selling parts of their UK operations.
2020.02.14
Reported2020.02.13
eBay completed the sale of StubHub to Viagogo[7]eBay正式完成向Viagogo出售StubHubtech.sina.com.cn
eBay completed its $4.05 billion sale of ticket-resale business StubHub to Viagogo. The companies had reached a final agreement in November 2019.
2019.11.26
Reported2019.11.25
eBay announces planned sale of StubHub to Viagogo[8]eBay宣布计划将StubHub出售给Viagogofinance.sina.com.cn
eBay announced plans to sell its StubHub ticketing business to Viagogo for $4.05 billion in cash. The transaction was expected to close before the end of the following year's first quarter, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

Sources14 sources

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