U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted that he wouldn’t pay the astronomical prices FIFA is demanding for tickets to this summer’s World Cup.
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino appears to have lost his support from the US president, ahead of the tournament across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
In an interview with the New York Post this week, Trump was asked about the exorbitant pricing, just hours after Infantino had brushed off rising criticism.
‘I did not know that number,’ the President said when told about the $1,000 get-in price for the USMNT’s opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.
‘I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.’
He then added: ‘I haven’t seen that, but I would have to take a look at it. 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.
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‘I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.’
Infantino had attempted to defend the costs of World Cup tickets, insisting – wrongly – that it costs at least $300 to attend a college game in America, and that you can’t see professional sport for less than that.
As of Thursday lunchtime, tickets were available for the Yankees’ game against the Texas Rangers for $8.
Speaking at a conference earlier this week, Infantino was asked about a ticket for the final that had been listed on a resale website for $2 million.
In response, he joked that he would ‘personally bring a hot dog and a Coke’ to the buyer, to ensure they have ‘a great experience’ at the game at MetLife Stadium.
FIFA have estimated that there were 500 million ticket requests for the tournament, but prices appear to be dropping on resale sites as organizers continue to drip-feed ‘last-minute’ tickets a month out.