FIFA World Cup: Infantino defends ticket prices, says fans ‘should chill’ about referee denied U.S. entry
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the record-high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup and addressed controversies regarding a Somali referee's denied entry to the U.S. He maintained that FIFA's pricing is consistent with the North American market.
Why it matters
The comments reflect the ongoing challenges and criticisms FIFA faces regarding accessibility and geopolitical issues surrounding the hosting of the World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday (June 10, 2026), saying "if we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong". Infantino spoke with reporters during a rare question-and-answer session on the eve of the opening match of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game World Cup tournament . He defended record ticket prices, said FIFA was powerless to get the U.S. government to admit a Somali referee , and praised his ability to get Iran s national soccer team into the United States.
The article reports on Infantino's statements and the context of the tournament without taking a side on the validity of his defense.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in