FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that market realities and United States resale laws justify the high costs.

Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Infantino said FIFA must operate within a commercial environment where demand dictates value, particularly in a market like the US where ticket resale at significantly higher prices is legal.

His comments come amid growing criticism from fan groups, including Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which has described the pricing structure as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal.” The group filed a lawsuit with the European Commission in March over what it termed excessive ticket pricing.

Controversy intensified after FIFA’s official resale platform, FIFA Marketplace, listed tickets for the July 19 final in New York at prices exceeding $2 million each.

Infantino, however, downplayed the figures, noting that resale listings do not reflect official ticket prices or guaranteed sales.

“If some people put tickets on the resale market at $2 million, it doesn’t mean that’s the actual price or that anyone will buy them,” he said, adding jokingly that he would personally deliver refreshments to any fan who paid such an amount.

He maintained that even FIFA’s face-value ticket prices — significantly higher than previous tournaments — are justified by demand and market conditions.

While the most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar was about $1,600, equivalent tickets for the 2026 final are priced at around $11,000.

“We have to look at the market. We are operating in one of the most developed entertainment markets in the world, so we must apply market rates,” Infantino said.

He argued that setting lower official prices could encourage resellers to exploit the system, pushing costs even higher on secondary markets.

“In the US, resale is permitted. If tickets are priced too low, they will simply be resold at much higher rates,” he added.

According to Infantino, demand for the 2026 tournament has surged, with FIFA receiving over 500 million ticket requests — far exceeding the combined total for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

He also noted that about 25 per cent of group-stage tickets are priced below $300, comparing this with the cost of attending major sporting events in the US.

“You cannot even watch a college game at a certain level in the US for less than $300 — and this is the World Cup,” he said.