Despite his cozy relationship with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the high cost of 2026 World Cup tickets, telling the New York Post that he "wouldn't pay it either."
Trump was asked for his thoughts on seats going for more than $1,000 for the U.S. men's national team opener against Paraguay on June 12 and didn't hold back.
“I did not know that number,” Trump said. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
Trump's remarks came just hours after Infantino defended ticket prices, which have caused immense controversy both in the United States and around the world. Speaking at a conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, the FIFA president said the 2026 World Cup's location justifies the high prices.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw on Dec. 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
“We have to look at the market — we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates," Infantino said. "In the U.S. it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price."
People are also reading…
Infantino also made a dubious claim about the natural cost of tickets for American sporting events, telling attendees that "you cannot go to watch in the U.S., a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300. And this is the World Cup."
Trump also expressed concern that many working-class fans, some of which have made up the voting base that has put him in office twice, may be shut out of the tournament.
“I haven’t seen that, but I would have to take a look at it,” Trump said.
“If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can’t go, I would be disappointed, but, you know, at the same time, it’s an amazing success,” he added. “I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”
The World Cup kicks off June 11 with the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
