FIFA President Gianni Infantino Takes Swipe at British Fans Amid 2026 World Cup Ticket Controversy
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked controversy by making a pointed jibe at British football fans while defending the steep ticket prices for the upcoming tournament. The remarks came during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he addressed widespread criticism from fan groups, particularly those from Great Britain, over the soaring costs of attending the marquee event.
Infantino's Factually Incorrect Claim About British Fans
In his defense of the high ticket prices, Infantino referenced the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, stating, "For the first time in history also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really, really special." However, this statement has been debunked as factually incorrect. According to reports from Sky Sports, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa also saw no arrests of British fans, contradicting Infantino's assertion. Historical data further reveals that the 2006 World Cup in Germany witnessed 711 arrests of British supporters, while the 2014 and 2018 tournaments combined saw only 25 such incidents.
Fan Backlash and Criticism Over Ticket Pricing
The Football Supporters Association (FSA) swiftly condemned Infantino's comments, issuing a sharp retort. In a statement, the FSA said, "While we've got Mr Infantino's attention, we'd like to point out that rather than making cheap jokes about our fans, he should concentrate on making cheap tickets." This criticism comes amid growing discontent over the ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Recent announcements from FIFA have revealed that ticket prices have surged by nearly 500% compared to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. For instance, the cheapest tickets for England or Scotland fans are priced at 134 pounds, with minimum prices for specific matches like England versus Croatia and Scotland against Brazil reaching 198 pounds. Group stage tickets for this year's tournament are up to three times more expensive than those for the previous World Cup, and the cheapest ticket for the final in New Jersey is a staggering 3,119 pounds.
FIFA's Response and Infantino's Defense
In response to the backlash, FIFA introduced a limited number of cheaper tickets priced at 45 pounds for all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup. However, these discounted tickets are only available through national federations and represent a mere ten percent of the tickets allocated to each association, accounting for less than one percent of the overall stadium capacity per match.
Infantino defended the pricing strategy in his Davos speech, acknowledging the criticism but highlighting high demand. He stated, "The tickets are not cheap. We were hammered. I was hammered, I should say, because of the ticket prices, because they are so expensive. And the main critics were from Germany and England, of course. Now, No 1 in ticket requests is the US. No 2, Germany, No 3, England, because everyone wants to come and to participate. Every match will be sold out." He also noted that due to FIFA's ticket resale platform, tickets are likely to be resold at even higher prices, further exacerbating affordability concerns for fans.
This ongoing dispute underscores the tension between FIFA's commercial interests and fan accessibility, as the world prepares for the first World Cup hosted across three nations in 2026.
