President Donald Trump has weighed in on the ticket pricing controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup, admitting he "wouldn't pay it either" when informed that fans could face a $1,000 (£736) price tag to watch the USA take on Paraguay in their tournament opener.
The United States, co-hosting the competition alongside Canada and Mexico, kicks off their Group D campaign in Los Angeles on June 12. But the cost of admission has sparked a heated debate, with Trump telling The New York Post: "I did not know that number. I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you."
FIFA has faced widespread criticism for adopting a tiered pricing model for the 2026 World Cup, breaking from tradition by charging based on each team's perceived popularity rather than a flat rate for group-stage matches. This departure from recent tournaments has left many fans feeling priced out—especially with FIFA's official resale platform adding a 30% fee, split evenly between buyer and seller, on top of already inflated prices.
Trump, whose political base includes working-class supporters, expressed concern that his fans might be excluded: "If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can't go, I would be disappointed. I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go."
In response to the backlash, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the pricing strategy, drawing comparisons to other major US sporting events. "In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well," Infantino said at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. "If you were to sell tickets at a price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price."
FIFA did offer a limited number of more affordable tickets priced at just £4, though these were quickly snapped up. As the 2026 tournament approaches, the tension between accessibility and market forces continues to dominate the conversation—a familiar challenge in the world of big-time sports.