Trump Says He ‘Wouldn’t Pay’ Soaring 2026 FIFA World Cup Ticket Prices as Infantino Defends Market Rates

Donald Trump has waded into the debate over 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket prices, stating plainly that he would not pay the amounts being charged — even as FIFA continues to court goodwill from his administration ahead of the tournament’s June start.

Speaking in a phone interview with the New York Post, Trump said he was unaware of just how high prices had climbed before being informed during the conversation. Reports indicate that fans of some nations, including England supporters tracking their team across the entire tournament, could face costs exceeding £5,000. “I did not 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 US president went further, expressing concern that the pricing structure could effectively lock out ordinary Americans — including his own political base. “I haven’t seen that, but I would have to take a look at it,” he said. “If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people who 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.”

Trump’s remarks came in direct response to comments made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Los Angeles, where Infantino defended the tournament’s pricing by pointing to the unique dynamics of the American entertainment economy. “We have to look at the market,” Infantino said. “The US is the most developed entertainment market in the world, so we have to apply market rates.”

FIFA officials have made maintaining a constructive relationship with the Trump administration a clear priority in the lead-up to the World Cup, which is scheduled to kick off next month across venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, that relationship has been complicated by ongoing US and Israeli military actions involving Iran, a nation whose national team is scheduled to play matches in Los Angeles and Seattle — cities at the centre of the tournament’s hosting arrangements.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in the tournament’s history, expanding to 48 teams for the first time. The United States is hosting the majority of matches, with 16 host cities across North America. Ticket demand has been described as exceptionally high, particularly for games involving major football nations, which has contributed to prices at the top end of the market far exceeding those seen at previous tournaments in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

Separately, Colombian pop star Shakira has confirmed her involvement in the tournament’s cultural programme, teasing “Dai Dai”, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — continuing a tradition of high-profile musical acts tied to the global event. Shakira previously performed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, one of the best-selling World Cup anthems in history.

Trump’s comments add a notable political dimension to what has already been a commercially controversial tournament rollout, and may increase pressure on FIFA to reconsider how it structures ticket access for domestic fans in the host nation.