{"id":14022,"date":"2026-06-10T23:03:04","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14022"},"modified":"2026-06-10T23:03:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:03:04","slug":"fifas-infantino-defends-world-cup-ticket-prices-says-fans-should-chill-about-ref-denied-us-entry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14022","title":{"rendered":"FIFA\u2019s Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices, says fans \u2018should chill\u2019 about ref denied US entry"},"content":{"rendered":"

By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ AP, Sports Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

MEXICO CITY (AP) \u2014 FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday, saying \u201cif we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong.\u201d<\/p>

Read more FBI seizes 13 websites that officials say were used by China to target and recruit US workers<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u2019s national soccer team into the United States.<\/p>\n

FIFA priced tickets starting at $140 for group-stage games, but regular seats for the July 19 final outside New York were listed at up to $8,680 and hospitality seats at up to $73,200. It raised prices for the final to $10,990 and then $32,970.<\/p>\n

After much criticism, FIFA offered $60 tickets to national federations for their regular supporters. Infantino said 130,000 tickets were offered in that category.<\/p>\n

Four years ago at the tournament in Qatar, prices ranged from $69 to $1,607.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you sell it at a lower price point,\u201d he said, \u201cin this particular market it would have gone \u2014 which is perfectly legal in this country \u2026 in secondary markets at much, much, much higher prices and where would the money go then? Well, to those who organize secondary markets or black market activities and not to football.\u201d<\/p>\n

Infantino said the average ticket price was below $500 for the tournament and was comparable to other U.S. sports during their playoffs, a claim that while true for resale prices does not appear to be accurate for list prices. Major League Baseball\u2019s average World Series ticket price has been $350 to $400 in recent years and NFL prices last season averaged $230 for the wild-card round, $320 for divisional games, $450 for conference championships and $3,300 for the Super Bowl.<\/p>

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Infantino said he was unconcerned about ticket probes by attorneys general in California, New Jersey, New York and Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to these legal investigations or complaints that were made in some states in the U.S.,\u201d he said, \u201cwe are very relaxed about it because before starting to sell 6 and a half or 7 million tickets we check what we do with the best lawyers, with the best experts. If we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n