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Trump rages about the cost of World Cup tickets as pressure grows on FIFA: ‘I wouldn’t pay it either’

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President Donald Trump blasted the exorbitant ticket prices for the hotly anticipated FIFA World Cup this summer, claiming that even he wouldn’t shell out for them.

In a Wednesday phone interview with The New York Post, the billionaire president learned that American soccer fans are being quoted four-figure fares for even the cheapest seats at an upcoming match.

“I did not know that number,” Trump told the outlet. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”

On StubHub, the most affordable tickets for the U.S.-Paraguay match on June 12 at SoFi Stadium outside of Los Angeles start at $1,056 (£776). That’s higher than the $876 (£643) low for the England vs. Panama game on June 27 at MetLife Stadium on the outskirts of New York City, or the $750 (£551) being asked for the France vs. Senegal face-off there on June 16.

“I would have to take a look at it,” the Republican president said before lamenting that his own voters might be priced out of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in over a dozen cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

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US President Donald Trump blasted the high price of World Cup tickets, claiming that even he wouldn’t shell out for them.
US President Donald Trump blasted the high price of World Cup tickets, claiming that even he wouldn’t shell out for them. (Getty Images)

“If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can’t go, I would be disappointed, but, you know, at the same time, it’s an amazing success,” he said. “I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”

Still, the president voiced satisfaction with the five million tickets already sold, declaring, “They’ve never had anything like it.”

In recent weeks, fans across the world have expressed frustration over their inability to secure tickets for the quadrennial soccer extravaganza, due to record-high ticket costs.

“Global football still tries to adhere to this idea of a more populist aspiration about the accessibility of the game. That’s basically become a fiction, and this is the corporatization of World Cups on steroids,” Andrés Martinez, a soccer author, told The Hill.

Some have drawn comparisons to the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, where the most expensive final ticket was roughly $1,600 at face value. This year, by contrast, the top-priced ticket for the final is about $11,000 at its original cost.

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“It doesn’t feel the same as the previous two World Cups,” Francisco Javier Ferreira, a 70-year-old Mexican soccer aficionado, told CNN. “That’s how it feels to me because even ticket prices are out of reach for everyone.”

Criticism has escalated into legal action, with the fan group Football Supporters Europe filing a lawsuit with the European Commission in March, which accuses FIFA of “excessive ticket prices.”

At the last World Cup in Qatar, the most expensive final ticket sold for about $1,600 at face value. This year, the top-priced ticket for the final, at original cost, is about $11,000
At the last World Cup in Qatar, the most expensive final ticket sold for about $1,600 at face value. This year, the top-priced ticket for the final, at original cost, is about $11,000 (Getty Images)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the lofty sums being demanded for this summer’s tournament, arguing they reflect the cost of doing business in the states.

“We have to look at the market; we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said at a conference in Beverly Hills this week. “In the U.S., it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.”

He also pointed out that tickets for sporting events in the U.S. are generally expensive.

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“You cannot go to watch in the U.S. a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300,” Infantino said. “And this is the World Cup.”

Infantino added that many seats have been reserved at more affordable levels, noting that 25 percent of group‑stage tickets are priced below $300.

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Terence Crawford says the man tipped to be his ‘replacement’ couldn’t lace his boots

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Terence Crawford hung up the gloves late last year, calling time on an unbeaten professional campaign that spanned 257 rounds and five divisions.

Following his victory against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to become a three-weight undisputed champion, the 38-year-old retired at what many viewed as the perfect time. He left behind an opening for an American star, having occupied the top spot on most pound-for-pound lists.

The likes of Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney will continue to stake their own claims, but are stylistically more comparable to Floyd Mayweather than Crawford.

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Another man many tip to become America’s next pound-for-pound star, and whose attributes can be likened to Crawford’s, is Jaron Ennis. In fact, promoter Eddie Hearn said that his charge is the man to ‘replace Crawford’.

“I’ve seen all the top fighters. I truly believe that Jaron Ennis is the pound-for-pound number one in waiting … I think this guy’s going to go through this division, move up to 160, three-weight world champion. I think he’s the guy to replace Terence Crawford. I think he’s that good.”

Crawford, however, is not sold just yet. Speaking on X recently, he said that Ennis ‘can’t even tie my shoes.’

Ennis still has time on his side. Though a fight against Crawford did not materialise, with ‘Bud’ moving to super-welterweight as ‘Boots’ was picking up his old belts at welterweight, he has now moved to 154lbs himself. He is less than two months away from challenging to become a unified champion against Xander Zayas.

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It’s a fight Crawford has backed Ennis to win, however he has said that he believes another champion in the division, Sebastian Fundora, has the beating of the American.

The Zayas fight is another opportunity for ‘Boots’ to step out of his countryman’s shadow and carve his own path. At 28 years old, it’s a journey fans will be watching for some time yet.

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Sarrismo faces black-type challenge in 2026 The Coast at Gosford

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Three jockeys on galloping horses jump a red rail during a daytime horse race.

Sarrismo, the rising gelding who has qualified for the Big Dance, now confronts his forthcoming task – validating his black-type aspirations in the Listed The Coast at Gosford.

Yet to place outside the top three in nine races, this gelding has linked three consecutive wins this campaign, extending his streak from Warwick Farm and Doomben into the Orange Cup (1600m) on April 19, thrusting him into Big Dance calculations.

The $3 million Randwick marquee on Melbourne Cup Day represents Sarrismo’s key objective according to Tom Charlton, who is focused on observing the four-year-old’s stakes debut this Saturday.

“That will be his primary aim in the spring,” Charlton said of the Big Dance.

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“I guess we just work out whether this will finish him for the campaign, or whether we push on for one more run.

This preparation, he seems to be putting it together. He’s won his three runs, and looks to be stepping forward each time.

It’s his toughest test, but it looks like the right option to have a crack.”

In the $500,000 Gosford Listed race, Andrew Adkins – successful on Sarrismo at Orange – retains the partnership as the gelding sheds weight to the 53kg allocation from 61kg.

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Up against Group 2 winner Depth Of Character and Rotagilla’s latest success, the event offers a true measure for Sarrismo, with punters installing him at $4.80 favourite on potential alone.

“He will have to improve, but he’s drawn well so he should naturally be able to be ridden in a forward position, which should suit him,” Charlton said.

“We will see where he fits into that next grade.”

Cristal Clear from the Annabel and Rob Archibald yard is an early defection, resulting in 11 runners for The Coast where seven have odds of $10 or less in a wide-open market.

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Visit betting sites for the best sports betting options on The Coast at Gosford in 2026.

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👀Was it a dig? Barça’s eye-catching post at Real Madrid

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Amid the dressing-room crisis Real Madrid are going through, Barcelona’s social media manager posted a tweet to stir up the build-up to El Clásico.

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Travis Pastrana is back in NASCAR — Fans can’t stop talking about it

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Travis Pastrana is returning to the NASCAR Truck Series later this month, with the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram truck at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The announcement came on Wednesday through the team’s social media channels, immediately drawing strong fan reaction.

Pastrana’s return adds to a program that has already featured a mix of veterans and specialists throughout the 2026 season, as part of its rotating free-agent program. The entry has already featured names like Tony Stewart, Ty Dillon, Colin Braun, Corey LaJoie, Parker Kligerman, and Carson Ferguson, with upcoming appearances from Jamie McMurray and Clint Bowyer.

Pastrana now joins that list for Charlotte. His most recent NASCAR appearance came earlier this year in the Truck Series season-opener at Daytona, where he finished 15th driving for Niece Motorsports. Fan reaction to the announcement was largely positive.

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One user summed up the mood online, writing on X:

“YEEEESSSS!! Welcome back, 125 Motocross CHAMPION 🐐.”

YEEEESSSS!! Welcome back, 125 Motocross CHAMPION 🐐

Another fan wrote:

“Travis is not a bad driver. He could finish top 12.”

Travis is not a bad driver. He could finish top 12

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Others kept it simple.

“Now they’re cooking.”

“OH HELL YEAH,” added another.

There were also suggestions for future entries, with one fan proposing that Robby Gordon and Carl Edwards should also get opportunities in the No. 25 truck.

The reaction highlights how effective the Kaulig Racing rotating model has been. For now, the rotation continues, with A.J. Allmendinger set to drive the No. 25 at Watkins Glen before Travis Pastrana takes over at Charlotte on May 22, 7:30 p.m. ET.


Travis Pastrana’s NASCAR return draws attention as Kaulig’s free agent program builds momentum

(L-R) Cleetus McFarland and Travis Pastrana at Daytona. Source: Getty(L-R) Cleetus McFarland and Travis Pastrana at Daytona. Source: Getty
(L-R) Cleetus McFarland and Travis Pastrana at Daytona. Source: Getty

Travis Pastrana brings a unique background compared to most drivers in the Truck Series field. He is an 11-time X Games gold medalist with a career spanning motocross, rally racing, and stunt performance. In NASCAR, he has made 50 starts across national series, including 42 in the second tier, where he recorded a pole at Talladega and multiple top-10 finishes.

Pastrana’s Cup debut in the 2023 Daytona 500 resulted in an 11th-place finish. In the Truck Series, he has seven starts, with a best finish of 13th.

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Following his return announcement on Wednesday, Pastrana said in a team statement:

“I love racing and competing at everything, and NASCAR is one of the biggest and most competitive stages on earth. Having the opportunity to hop in the No. 25 Ram truck with Kaulig Racing through the Free Agent Program is an amazing opportunity. These Ram 1500s are so much fun to drive. We’re going to go out there, put on a show for the fans and see what we can do.”

Travis Pastrana’s return fits cleanly into that approach, and based on early fan response, it is one of the more anticipated entries in the program so far.