FIFA faces criticism over Trump role and sky-high ticket prices for 2026 World Cup

FIFA is under fire after Donald Trump played a key role at the 2026 World Cup draw and received a new Peace Prize, while ticket prices for fans have been slammed as “extortionate,” sparking criticism from German lawmakers and supporter groups.

A vice-president of Germany’s parliament has sharply criticized FIFA following the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, where former US President Donald Trump played a prominent role and was awarded a new FIFA Peace Prize. Omid Nouripour of the Green Party called the ceremony “disgusting” and warned that FIFA’s neutrality is “broken in quite a bad way.”

The criticism also focused on ticket prices for the tournament across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. According to the German Football Association, the cheapest group stage ticket is €155, while attending all of Germany’s matches, including the final, could cost fans up to €5,975. Fan organizations, including Football Supporters Europe, have denounced the prices as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal” of supporters, noting that costs are around five times higher than during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Despite the backlash, FIFA reported receiving over five million ticket requests from more than 200 countries within 24 hours of the third sales phase. The most requested match is Colombia vs Portugal in Miami, followed by Brazil vs Morocco in New Jersey and Mexico vs South Korea in Guadalajara.

Nouripour also criticized the declaration of the June 26 Iran vs Egypt group match in Seattle as a “Pride Match” celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting objections from both Iranian and Egyptian officials. He described the controversy as “irrational” and warned FIFA against making changes under political pressure.

FIFA defended its approach, stating that maintaining strong relationships with host country leaders is essential to ensure a successful tournament. However, the combination of political controversy and steep ticket pricing has sparked widespread debate over the governing body’s impartiality and commitment to fans.