Trump criticises 2026 World Cup ticket prices amid fan affordability debate

Former US President Donald Trump has criticised the rising cost of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying he would not pay $1,000 to attend a group-stage match between the United States and Paraguay in Los Angeles.

Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said he was unaware of the figures being discussed for some matches and argued that pricing at that level could shut out working-class supporters. He also pointed to his administration’s role in helping bring the tournament to the United States.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing, saying costs are comparable to other major sporting events in the US. Infantino said 25% of group-stage tickets are available for less than $300.

Reports have suggested the average cost for a ticket to the World Cup final on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is about $13,000 — far above the reported $1,600 average for the 2022 final in Qatar.

TicketData.com data cited in reports showed average group-stage prices falling to $567 on May 8, down from $720 30 days earlier. However, listings can vary widely on the resale market. A Ticketmaster search for the June 19 group-stage match between the US and Australia in Seattle showed a resale pair priced at $2,725.10 including service fees.

FIFA also operates its own resale marketplace, which charges a 15% fee to both buyers and sellers of resold tickets. The 2026 World Cup will be held across 16 venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada.