US President Donald Trump has criticised the cost of attending the 2026 World Cup, saying he would not personally pay more than $1,000 for a United States match and warning that ordinary fans could be priced out of the tournament.
In an interview published by the New York Post, Trump said he was surprised by the high ticket prices but made it clear he would not spend that amount to attend.
“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.”
He said he was particularly concerned about the impact on everyday Americans, especially supporters from communities that form part of his political base.
“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,” he said.
“I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go,” Trump added, noting that he takes credit for helping secure the World Cup for the United States during his first term as president.
His comments come amid rising criticism of FIFA’s pricing system, with US lawmakers and international fan groups accusing the football body of making the tournament unaffordable for regular supporters.
Football Supporters Europe described the pricing structure as a “monumental betrayal”, warning that loyal fans risk being excluded from the competition due to escalating costs.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a close ally of Trump, has defended the pricing, saying demand for tickets has reached unprecedented levels and that the organisation is responding to market realities, including US resale laws.
He said FIFA received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 tournament, compared with fewer than 50 million for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups combined, while noting that about 25 percent of group-stage tickets are priced below $300.
