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Sports
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, defended the pricing of 2026 World Cup tickets, citing US market laws and unprecedented demand, amid criticism from European fan groups.
Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), defended the prices of tickets for the 2026 World Cup matches, affirming the organizing body's commitment to US laws that allow the resale of tickets at prices that may exceed their original value several times over. Infantino considered these practices part of the reality of the modern sports and entertainment market.
Infantino's statements come amid a wave of widespread criticism from the Football Supporters Europe organization, which described the pricing structure as "extortionate" and "a great betrayal," referring to the significant increase in ticket prices compared to previous editions of the tournament.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the controversy over ticket prices escalated to the point of filing a lawsuit last March before the European Commission against FIFA. The lawsuit came as an objection from fans to what they considered exorbitant prices disproportionate to the nature of the world's biggest football event.
In response to this criticism, Infantino stressed that FIFA cannot ignore market mechanisms in the United States. He explained that the legal resale of tickets in many cases leads to a significant increase in their prices on the black market, making setting low prices from the start illogical from his perspective. He added that football has become part of a massive global entertainment industry that requires dealing with it according to the rules of supply and demand.
The FIFA president pointed out that some tickets, despite the controversy surrounding them, are still seeing unprecedented demand. He explained that the federation received more than 500 million requests for tickets to the 2026 World Cup, compared to less than 50 million total requests for the 2018 and 2022 editions, reflecting the enormous global interest in the upcoming tournament.
In an attempt to mitigate the criticism, Infantino revealed that about 25% of group stage tickets will be offered at prices below $300. He affirmed that there is diversity in price categories aimed at providing opportunities for different segments of fans to attend the matches.
Infantino commented in an unconventional way on the ongoing controversy, saying that if someone buys a final ticket for $2 million on the black market, he will personally bring him a hot dog pie and a soft drink to ensure he has a great experience.
While the controversy over ticket prices intensifies, the 2026 World Cup remains the focus of the world's attention, both in terms of organization and the unprecedented volume of demand, in an edition expected to be the largest in the tournament's history in terms of participation and fan turnout.
