Overview
- Trump, in a Wednesday phone interview published Thursday, said he would not pay the four‑figure price to attend the United States’ opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the pricing Tuesday at the Milken conference, citing U.S. market rates, a resale culture, and saying 25% of group‑stage seats cost under $300.
- Resale listings are often undercutting FIFA’s own prices, with The Independent citing $2,735 direct versus about $1,300 on FIFA’s resale for a top‑tier U.S. opener ticket, and StubHub showing options near $1,056.
- Political pushback is growing as New York City’s mayor negotiates for affordability measures and members of Congress decry “price gouging,” while the White House task force chief says the market should set prices.
- FIFA reports roughly five million tickets sold and hundreds of millions of requests, yet an AHLA survey finds nearly 80% of hotels in U.S. host cities running below projections, signaling softer travel than expected.