Fifa president Gianni Infantino brushed aside criticism of the World Cup’s visa issues and high ticket prices on Wednesday in a late-night press conference.
Speaking in Mexico City ahead of the World Cup’s opening game at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, Infantino launched a fierce defense of the 48-team extravaganza being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Infantino and Fifa have come under fire over the cost of World Cup tickets while Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has seen the referee, Iranian team officials and fans refused entry to the United States.
Infantino insisted that tickets for the tournament – which in some cases have reached US$30,000 – had been sold properly, citing the small number of US$60 tickets that were available in response to criticism.
“Let me just say that our admission price, which is $60, is the lowest admission price for any American playoff game,” Infantino said.
“Our average price, which is under $500, is the lowest of US games on average.”
