Gianni Infantino sparked criticism on Thursday after joking about British soccer fans during a speech on the upcoming World Cup, drawing a swift response from supporters’ groups who urged him to focus on ticket pricing instead.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the FIFA president addressed concerns surrounding the 2026 tournament while reflecting on criticism faced before Qatar 2022.
‘No Brit was arrested’ remark draws reaction
“When the ball started rolling and the magic started we had virtually no incidents,” Infantino said. “For the first time in history also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really, really special.”
Infantino then said the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico would deliver a similar experience.
“It was a celebration, it was a party, and the next one in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be exactly the same,” he said. “People want occasions to meet, to come together, to spend time, to celebrate, and this is what we try to give them.”
The comments prompted an immediate response from the Football Supporters’ Association, which criticised the tone of the remark amid ongoing concerns over ticket affordability.
“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,” the group said.
Ticket prices defended amid World Cup criticism
Infantino also tackled criticism over ticket pricing for the expanded 2026 World Cup, which will feature 104 matches across North America.
“The tickets are not cheap,” he said. “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.”
FIFA says it received more than 500 million ticket requests during the most recent application window, which closed earlier this month.
The second-cheapest category for the final costs $4,185 (£3,100), while only a limited number of lower-priced tickets remain available.
Infantino defended the pricing by pointing to demand across multiple countries.
“Now, number one in ticket requests is the US. Number two, Germany. Number three, England, because everyone wants to come and to participate,” he said. “Every match will be sold out.”
FIFA has yet to publish a detailed breakdown showing how demand splits across matches and price categories.
Infantino also rejected suggestions that visa restrictions could prevent fans from attending, insisting the host nations plan to welcome supporters from around the world.
The remarks come as scrutiny around the 2026 World Cup intensifies, with ticket pricing, accessibility and fan treatment continuing to dominate the conversation.
