Trump bashes exorbitant World Cup ticket prices: 'I wouldn't pay it'

Yahoo Sports3h ago11 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Donald Trump criticized the high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, stating he wouldn't pay over $1,000 for a seat. He expressed disappointment over the costs during an interview with the New York Post.

Key points

Trump criticized World Cup ticket prices
Tickets exceed $1,000 for the opener
He expressed disappointment in an interview
Trump has a relationship with FIFA's Gianni Infantino

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Donald TrumpGianni Infantino

2026 World Cup

Trump bashes exorbitant World Cup ticket prices: 'I wouldn't pay it'

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 that the 2026 World Cup's location justifies the high prices.

“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."

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."