'I wouldn't pay it' - Trump on USA ticket price

United States President Donald Trump says he "wouldn't pay it either" when asked about the potential $1,000 (£736) ticket price to watch his country play Paraguay in their 2026 World Cup opener.

The competition starts on 11 June and the US, who are co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, will open their campaign in Los Angeles on 12 June.

"I did not know that number," Trump told The New York Post, external when asked about fans having to pay $1,000 (£736) to watch the USA's first Group D match.

"I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you."

Fifa has been criticised for its "extortionate" pricing strategy for the 2026 World Cup for which, in a departure from recent tournaments, group-stage games were priced based on the perceived popularity of the teams involved, rather than a flat rate.

Fans also face having to pay vastly inflated prices for most games through Fifa's official resale platform, while world football's governing body is taking a 30% fee - 15% each from both the buyer and seller - of each ticket which is sold.

"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," added Trump.

"I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go."

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended the cost of tickets and said they are in line with other US sporting events.

"In the US, 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," Infantino said on Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills.

Fifa did introduce a small number of "more affordable" £45 tickets for all 104 matches following criticism of its pricing structure after the initial release of tickets.

World Cup matches in Toronto can also only be sold for their original price because of the Ontario government's recent ban on reselling event tickets above face value.

However, fans are also facing increased transport costs in the US for the tournament, while BBC Sport found an England fan would need to spend £6,500 to attend their country's group-stage matches.