President Trump publicly criticized World Cup ticket prices this week, admitting he personally would not pay the cost to attend the final match despite helping secure the tournament for the United States during his first term. As detailed by UNILAD, a record-breaking five million tickets have already been sold, but the price tags attached to them have become a flashpoint for fans and officials alike.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump was blunt about the final ticket cost: “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.” The average price of a ticket to the World Cup final has reached nearly $13,000, up from around $1,600 for the 2022 championship.
Trump also expressed concern for working-class supporters being priced out, saying, “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. I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.” Hotel bookings are currently lagging far behind ticket sales, as many fans find themselves unable to afford both entry and accommodation near the venues.
FIFA is defending the pricing, but fan groups are fighting back
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed back on the criticism during an appearance at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on May 5, 2026. He argued that the US market’s legal allowance of ticket resales makes setting lower face-value prices counterproductive, adding, “You cannot go to watch in the US 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.” Infantino also addressed the extreme end of the resale market, where some tickets were listed as high as $2 million, noting that a listed price does not reflect what buyers actually pay.
Fan organizations have not been appeased. Football Supporters Europe labeled the pricing structure a monumental betrayal and filed a lawsuit with the European Commission over the costs. Amid the backlash, Cristiano Ronaldo drew attention of a different kind this week after losing over 6 million Instagram followers overnight, further underscoring the scrutiny surrounding soccer’s biggest names heading into the tournament.
The contrast between the two most recent World Cups is significant. In 2022, the highest face-value ticket for the final was around $1,600, while in 2026 the top-tier face-value sits at approximately $11,000. Tickets for the USA versus Paraguay group-phase match in Los Angeles on June 12 start at $1,120 and can exceed $4,000, with seats still available on FIFA’s official website despite those prices.
Trump hinted that his administration may take a closer look at the inflated pricing, though no specific regulatory action has been announced. The administration has been occupied on multiple fronts, including a naval standoff with Iran over a disputed oil tanker incident. FIFA, meanwhile, has projected the tournament will boost the US economy by $30 billion, though that figure is currently falling short of forecasts.
Published: May 8, 2026 05:00 am