Concerns Raised Over 2026 World Cup Ticket Prices and FIFA's Autocratic Influence
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was held in Washington, DC on 5 December 2025, involving FIFA President Gianni Infantino and former US President Donald Trump. Notably, Infantino, known for cultivating relationships with Trump and other autocrats—attending events such as Trump's inauguration and Gaza peace conferences—proposed a FIFA peace prize for Trump during the draw.
An analysis of the event highlighted that the cheapest ticket for the 2026 World Cup final in the US is priced at £3,120, which is seven times more expensive than the cheapest ticket for the 2022 final held in Qatar. Concerns were raised about the impact on fans, with the arrangement described as reciprocal leverage whereby Trump could threaten host-city rights while FIFA profits from secondary ticketing markets, leaving fans at a disadvantage.
The critique extends to FIFA's operational approach, characterizing the organization as fully autocratic, asserting that it can override host-country laws and commercial agreements during the tournament. Historical reference was made to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Courts in South Africa, including incidents like an arrest stemming from an orange-minidress stunt-marketing event and a Bavaria beer incident.
Furthermore, the article discusses FIFA election processes, arguing they are influenced by disproportionately large grants to smaller nations, effectively amounting to vote-buying, thus raising questions about the integrity of FIFA's governance structure.
