President Donald Trump has responded to ticket prices for the USMNT’s World Cup opener against Paraguay in June by saying he “wouldn’t pay it either”.
The Athletic previously revealed how ticket sales for the USMNT’s opening game in Los Angeles are lagging behind other games being staged at SoFi Stadium.
FIFA, world football’s governing body, has been widely criticised for ticket prices at this summer’s tournament, with the cheapest ticket in its three main categories for U.S.-Paraguay initially costing $1,120 (£823).
And now President Trump, who has a close relationship with Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has offered his view.
“I did not know that number (the USMNT’s opening match prices),” the U.S. president said in an exclusive interview with the New York Post. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
The White House declined to make further comment when approached by The Athletic.
Speaking this week at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Infantino defended the organisation’s ticket prices for the World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“In reality, 25 per cent of group stage tickets are available for less than $300,” he added. “In the U.S., you can’t attend a college game, let alone a top-tier professional event, for under $300. And this is the World Cup!
“We are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates.
“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.”
Although Trump appeared to express a level of concern when confronted with the sky-high ticket prices during his interview with the New York Post, the 79-year-old reiterated that the volume of sales — Infantino said last month “around five million” have been sold — is “extremely successful”.
“I haven’t seen that (the prices), but I would have to take a look at it,” the U.S. president added. “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.
“I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”
“I know that is extremely successful,” Trump said of the ticket sales so far. “Setting every record in the book. They’ve never had anything like it.”
