U.S. President Donald Trump has become the latest high-profile figure to weigh in on the soaring ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting he would not personally pay the current rates being charged for some matches in the United States.
Speaking to the New York Post on Wednesday, Trump reacted with surprise after learning that tickets for the United States men’s national team’s opening game against Paraguay in Los Angeles were selling for more than $1,000.
“I didn’t know that number,” Trump said. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
The comments arrive at a time when FIFA is facing growing criticism from supporters over what many believe are excessive prices for next summer’s tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently defended the governing body’s pricing strategy, insisting the organisation is simply responding to market demand in one of the world’s biggest entertainment economies.
“We have to look at the market,” Infantino explained. “We are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates.”
Infantino also pointed to the resale market as justification for FIFA’s pricing model, arguing that cheaper tickets would quickly be snapped up and resold at significantly higher prices.
“In the U.S., it is permitted to resell tickets as well,” he added. “If you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.”
According to FIFA, some of the revenue generated from ticket sales will be reinvested into the development of men’s, women’s and youth football across all 211 member associations worldwide. However, that explanation has done little to calm frustrations among fans hoping to attend matches in person.
For the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium, the cheapest available seats are reportedly priced at $1,120. Mid-level Category 1 seats are selling for around $2,750, while premium lower-tier seats can exceed $4,000.
Despite the significance of the fixture and the anticipation surrounding the tournament, large sections of seats reportedly remain unsold. Multiple rows in some mid-tier areas are still available, raising questions about whether pricing may eventually need to be adjusted closer to kickoff.
In contrast, Mexico’s opening game at Estadio Azteca appears to have nearly sold out already, with only limited accessibility seating reportedly remaining available at this stage.
FIFA has attempted to address affordability concerns by reserving 100,000 tickets across the tournament at a lower price point of around $60. However, that accounts for less than two percent of the total tickets expected to be available for the competition.
With the 2026 World Cup set to be the biggest in history, featuring 48 nations and matches spread across North America, ticket pricing is likely to remain one of the tournament’s biggest talking points in the months ahead. Whether FIFA eventually lowers prices for underperforming sales markets could play a major role in determining stadium atmospheres during the competition.
