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| FIFA President Gianni Infantino insists that the steep increase in face-value prices for World Cup tickets was justified [Patrick T Fallon/AFP] |
BEVERLY HILLS — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the soaring cost of World Cup tickets in the United States, saying the massive resale prices simply reflect the extraordinary global demand for football’s biggest tournament.
Speaking during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Infantino argued that FIFA must operate within US market laws that allow ticket holders to resell seats for prices far above their original value.
The comments come as FIFA faces growing criticism from football supporters and fan groups over what many describe as unaffordable pricing for the upcoming World Cup matches in North America.
European fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has strongly criticized FIFA’s ticketing system, calling the prices “extortionate” and accusing the organization of betraying ordinary football fans. The group reportedly filed a legal complaint with the European Commission earlier this year over what it described as excessive pricing practices.
Controversy intensified after FIFA Marketplace, FIFA’s official resale platform, listed four tickets for the July 19 World Cup final in New York for more than $2 million each.
Infantino dismissed suggestions that the listings reflect the official ticket price, saying resale values are determined by individual sellers and market demand.
“If somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2 million, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke,” Infantino joked during the event, adding that he would want the fan to “have a great experience.”
The extraordinary resale prices have sparked debate online about affordability, fan access, and the growing commercialization of global football events ahead of the highly anticipated tournament in the United States