Donald Trump helped secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the United States during his first term, a feat he proudly claims. But when it comes to the ticket prices American fans are facing, the former president is singing a different tune—and he's not afraid to say so.
In a phone chat with the New York Post on Wednesday, Trump sounded genuinely taken aback after learning that seats for the U.S. Men's National Team's opening group match against Paraguay—set for June 12 in Los Angeles—start at around $1,000. "I did not know that number," he said. "I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you."
The comment adds a layer of irony, given Trump's role in bringing the tournament stateside. The World Cup is a massive commercial engine, and Trump himself acknowledged its financial success: "I know that is extremely successful. Setting every record in the book. They've never had anything like it." But he voiced concern that the soaring costs are shutting out the working-class supporters he considers his base. "If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can't go, I would be disappointed," he said. "I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go."
The sticker shock doesn't stop there. The average ticket price for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is nearly $13,000—a staggering leap from the roughly $1,600 average for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, according to The Mirror US. One resale listing on FIFA's own secondary marketplace even hit a jaw-dropping $2,299,998.85.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, addressed the eye-popping figures with a touch of humor. He personally promised to deliver "a hot dog and a Coke" to any fan willing to pay that $2.3 million ticket. But he defended the wider pricing model by pointing to overwhelming demand, a classic supply-and-demand reality in the world of major sporting events.
For now, Trump hasn't announced any official intervention, leaving fans to wonder if the cost of cheering on the USMNT will become a campaign issue—or just another pricey souvenir from the world's biggest soccer stage.