Mexico City, 11 June (H.S.):

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing structure for tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that lower prices would only fuel ticket reselling and illegal secondary markets, depriving football of the revenue generated by the tournament.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the opening match of the competition, Infantino addressed concerns over ticket prices, security regulations, and the controversy surrounding a Somali referee who was denied entry into the United States.

Tickets for group-stage matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup were initially priced from around $140, while tickets for the final have reached several thousand dollars, with some premium categories seeing further increases in price.

Responding to criticism, Infantino said that if FIFA's pricing strategy were considered wrong, then nearly every major sports and entertainment organizer in North America would be guilty of the same practice.

He explained that significantly cheaper tickets would likely be purchased by resellers and later sold at inflated prices on secondary markets, benefiting ticket brokers rather than the sport itself.

According to Infantino, the average ticket price for the tournament remains below $500, placing it broadly in line with other major sporting events held in the United States.

Several U.S. states have recently launched reviews and investigations into aspects of ticket sales, but the FIFA president said the governing body had no concerns about scrutiny of the process.

“We welcome every investigation,” Infantino said. “Before launching ticket sales, we thoroughly reviewed the entire process with experts and legal advisers.”

Infantino also commented on the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to become the first official from Somalia to participate in a FIFA World Cup but was reportedly denied entry to the United States due to security-related concerns raised by American authorities.

The FIFA chief acknowledged the disappointment surrounding the issue but stressed that FIFA cannot control every aspect of international travel and government security decisions.

“We try to find solutions,” he said. “Sometimes it is important to remain calm. Making noise immediately over every issue does not necessarily help resolve it.”

He added that security remains the highest priority at global sporting events and that decisions taken by governments and security agencies must be respected.

Infantino also highlighted FIFA’s efforts to ensure the participation of teams facing complex geopolitical circumstances. Referring to Iran’s qualification for the World Cup, he described the successful coordination required to facilitate the team's participation in the United States as a significant achievement amid ongoing international tensions.

He noted that FIFA frequently operates in challenging political and diplomatic environments and has a responsibility to ensure that football remains accessible despite such difficulties.

Looking ahead to the tournament, Infantino predicted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could become the largest sporting event in human history. The competition, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is expected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue.

He said FIFA could potentially earn even more if all broadcasts and services were placed behind paywalls, but doing so would prevent millions of fans worldwide from watching the tournament.

The 56-year-old Swiss-Italian administrator has served as FIFA president since 2016 and is widely expected to seek another term in office as the organization prepares for its next leadership election.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar