“I wouldn’t pay” says Trump on World Cup tickets

Dubai: With outrage continuing to grow over soaring 2026 World Cup ticket prices, including reports that resale seats for the final have climbed as high as $2 million, even United States President Donald Trump is distancing himself from the cost of attending the tournament.

Despite his close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump told the New York Post he agrees with fans who feel priced out of the event.

Asked about tickets topping $1,000 for the U.S. men’s national team opener against Paraguay on June 12, Trump admitted the prices shocked him.

“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.”

Trump’s comments came only hours after Infantino publicly defended the controversial pricing structure during a conference in Beverly Hills.

The FIFA chief argued that the United States’ entertainment market naturally drives prices higher and pointed to the country’s legal ticket resale market as a major factor.

“We have to look at the market, we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said.

“In the U.S. 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.”

Infantino also claimed that high prices are standard across American sports, saying: “you cannot go to watch in the U.S., a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300.”

Trump, meanwhile, suggested he is concerned that everyday fans, including many working-class supporters from his political base, could be shut out of the tournament entirely.

“I haven’t seen that, but I would have to take a look at it,” Trump said.

“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 added.

“I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”

The 2026 World Cup begins June 11, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium.