Director, Ticketing - FIFA World Cup 2026 in London

THE·TEAM operates at the epicenter of sports, music and entertainment, serving talent, brands and properties on a global scale. Our brands and properties division works with iconic brands and rights holders, supporting business growth through all marketing disciplines. We are a trusted partner to every major league, team and venue, building meaningful connections between brands, properties and fans. Headquartered in Los Angeles, THE·TEAM's presence spans 28 countries and more than 70 cities, including New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris and Sydney.

Contract Type: Fixed-Term Contract (until August 2026)

We are seeking an experienced Ticketing Director to oversee and lead end-to-end ticketing operations and guest management for a major football hospitality programme for FIFA World Cup 2026. Based in London, with travel to the United States required during the tournament, you will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end ticketing process – from planning and allocation through to on-site delivery—while also leading the set-up, deployment, and ongoing management of a bespoke ticket and guest management system. This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in one of the world’s biggest sporting events, working with global stakeholders, VIP clients, and internal teams to deliver a seamless guest experience.

What You'll Be Doing

• Strategic Leadership
• Programme Ownership: Lead the planning, development, and delivery of the ticketing and hospitality programme across all phases of the FIFA World Cup project, from initial briefing to post-event debrief.
• Team Lead: Day-to-day management of core ticketing team of 4 who are responsible for central management of all ticketing operations.
• Client Liaison: Serve as the point of contact for the client on all ticketing-related matters, translating client objectives into actionable operational plans while ensuring strict adherence to FIFA regulations and protocols.
• Guest Experience Strategy: Define and implement guest journey mapping and ticket distribution strategies that integrate seamlessly into the broader event ecosystem, ensuring alignment with both FIFA standards and bespoke client requirements.
• Project Governance: Drive project governance including timelines, workstreams, milestones, reporting, and tracking.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate with leads from other operational verticals (e.g accreditation, transport, accommodation, F&B) to deliver a cohesive and exceptional guest experience.
• Vendor Management: Oversee engagement and coordination with third-party tech suppliers, ensuring alignment on deliverables, SLAs, and service excellence.
• Budget & Reporting: Manage programme budget, track expenditures, raise POs, and produce financial updates and reconciliation reports as required.
• Ticketing Systems & Operational Delivery
• Platform Management: Lead the configuration, testing, and rollout of ticketing systems (e.g, ticket order management, guest portals, allocation tools) in partnership with internal teams and external tech suppliers.
• Inventory Management: Maintain detailed oversight of ticket inventory, allocations, contingencies, and real-time tracking, and reporting to support both strategic and operational decision-making.
• Compliance & Documentation: Ensure all ticketing processes comply with FIFA protocols, GDPR, and relevant legal/regulatory requirements. Maintain up-to-date documents, guest communications, delivery schedules, and operational playbooks.
• Issue Management: Lead troubleshooting and escalation workflows for ticketing issues - both pre-event and live, ensuring rapid and transparent resolution for clients and guests.
• Reporting & Audits: Produce regular operational reports and post-event audit documentation to support transparency and accountability.
• Onsite Operations & Stakeholder Management
• Main contact: Act as senior ticketing contact on-site during tournament which includes managing extended ticket operations managers based in the US who will be supporting during tournament time.
• Issue resolution: Managing issues with ticket delivery, guest changes, last-minute coordination, guest services, and real-time issue resolution.
• Venue team support: Coordinate closely with hospitality teams at stadiums to implement last-minute operational changes swiftly and effectively.
• Cross-functional role: Represent ticketing interests in cross-functional meetings and elevate issues as appropriate to senior leadership.
• Contingency plans: Develop, document, and implement contingency plans to address critical risk areas such as technical failures, last-minute ticketing adjustments, and access control problems.
• Responsiveness: Manage support teams during onsite emergencies, ensuring minimal disruption to guest experience and operations.
• Team mentorship: Lead, mentor, and manage junior ticketing and guest services staff, fostering clarity of roles and excellence in service delivery.
• Post-event reporting: Analyze data and gather stakeholder feedback to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement.

What You Will Bring

• Extensive experience in large-scale event ticketing management, ideally within international sports or entertainment contexts.
• Proven leadership in managing complex ticketing operations and stakeholder relationships.
• Strong knowledge of ticketing systems architecture, vendor management, and integration with hospitality and accreditation systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage operational readiness, compliance, and contingency planning.
• Expertise in data privacy, guest data lifecycle management, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience managing diverse teams.
• Ability to work under pressure, solve problems proactively, and make timely decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Availability for onsite event support during FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament phases.

What You Need

• Proven experience (7+ years) in account management, event operations, or ticketing for major international events—experience with sports tournaments is a strong advantage.
• In-depth knowledge of ticketing platforms, CRM systems, and digital ticket distribution technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-level stakeholders and complex operational delivery under tight timelines.
• Strong project management skills, including budgeting, planning, and team coordination.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to navigate diverse cultural environments.
• Highly organized, solution-oriented, and capable of working under pressure in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
• Experience in managing third-party vendors and contractors is desirable.
• Fluency in English is essential; additional languages (particularly Spanish) are an asset.
• Availability for international travel and flexible working hours, including weekends and match days.

THE·TEAM does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.