President Trump has criticized World Cup ticket prices, saying he “wouldn’t pay,” even as he highlighted the “record-setting” volume of seats already purchased.
Trump played a role in helping bring the tournament to the US during his first White House term, before returning to office after the 2024 election.
Now, despite reports that five million tickets have already been sold, he has taken aim at the steep costs many supporters will face if they want to attend matches.
In comments to the New York Post, he said: “I did not know that number.
“I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
Prices for the biggest game are especially striking. The average ticket for the World Cup final is reportedly close to $13,000, a huge jump from about $1,600 for the 2022 final.
The Republican also argued that it would be frustrating if the event ends up out of reach for working-class voters who supported him.
“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.
“I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”
Complaints about affordability have been amplified by fans who say large numbers of tickets were snapped up by professional resellers, who then list them again at far higher prices.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed the controversy during an appearance at a conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday (May 5).
He said: “In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well, so if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.
“You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300 – And this is the World Cup.”
FIFA has projected the tournament could add around $30 billion to the economy, though current performance is said to be coming in below expectations.
One sign of potential strain is that hotel reservations are trailing ticket sales, with many fans arguing that even if they can get into games, they can’t also cover the cost of staying nearby.
Still, the Post reports Trump suggested his administration may take a closer look at unusually high ticket pricing.