Donald Trump has openly stated that even he wouldn’t pay the exorbitant prices FIFA is charging for World Cup tickets this summer. This marks a notable setback for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has been vigorously promoting the event throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Trump addressed these high costs, just after Infantino dismissed the growing criticism. When informed about the $1,000 ticket price for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s match against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, Trump replied, “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.”
Trump further commented, “I haven’t seen that, but I would have to take a look at it. If people from Queens and Brooklyn, and all those who support Donald Trump, can’t attend, I would be disappointed. But, you know, at the same time, it’s an amazing success. I would like the people who voted for me to have the chance to go.” Prior to Trump’s remarks, Infantino had defended the ticket prices, incorrectly claiming that attending a college game in America costs at least $300, and that professional sports events are even more expensive. However, tickets for a Yankees game against the Texas Rangers were available for just $8, and a Knicks playoff ticket in Philadelphia was priced at $192 on SeatGeek.
Earlier this week, at a conference, Infantino was asked about a ticket for the final listed on a resale website for $2 million. He jokingly promised to personally deliver a hot dog and a Coke to the buyer to ensure they would “have a great experience” at the MetLife Stadium. FIFA has reported receiving 500 million ticket requests for the tournament, but ticket prices appear to be falling on resale platforms as organizers continue to release “last-minute” tickets. Despite this, critics argue that FIFA might be deliberately creating an artificial scarcity of tickets.
The Athletic reports that FIFA is continuing to struggle to sell tickets to some of its 104 matches throughout June and July. A survey released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association this week, meanwhile, found that nearly 80% of hotels across the 11 US host cities are running below their initial World Cup projections. There are six weeks to go until the June 11 kickoff, and some tickets on resale websites like SeatGeek are available for less than the official price on FIFA’s own platform. Infantino’s loss of support from Trump will come as a significant blow, especially after he awarded the president the FIFA Peace Prize at the draw back in December.
