On the eve of the opening game of the FIFA World Cup 2026, President Gianni Infantino held a rare press conference to address several controversies. During the session, he defended the towering ticket prices.

The entry-level price for group-stage matches was set at $140 by FIFA. However, regular tickets for the highly anticipated July 19 final outside of New York cost up to $8,680, with luxury hospitality packages topping out at $73,200. FIFA later adjusted the premium pricing tiers even further, raising them to $10,990 and eventually up to $32,970.