FIFA President Gianni Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices

Key Points:

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., stating that FIFA's pricing is comparable to other major North American sports events and that lower prices would fuel black-market reselling.
• Infantino downplayed concerns over legal investigations into ticket sales in several U.S. states, asserting that FIFA consulted top lawyers before setting prices and that if FIFA is wrong, then other ticket sellers in North America would be as well.
• He expressed regret over Somali referee Omar Artan being denied U.S. entry due to security vetting but said FIFA has limited influence over government decisions and continues to work behind the scenes to resolve such issues.
• Infantino praised FIFA's efforts to ensure Iran's participation in the tournament despite geopolitical tensions, highlighting the team's relocation of its training camp to Mexico and eventual travel to the U.S. for matches.
• He credited former U.S. President Donald Trump with playing a crucial role in securing the World Cup hosting rights and revealed FIFA's revenue projection of $11 billion, noting that more revenue could be generated through pay-per-view broadcasts but at the expense of global accessibility.