Dec 29 (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the ticket prices for next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, citing heavy demand for them and the revenue generated for the sport around the world.
This month fan groups criticised the cost of tickets, which were several times more expensive than those for similar matches at the 2022 tournament. FIFA then launched a $60 ticket tier to make the games more affordable for fans of qualified teams.
"We have six-seven million tickets on sale ... in 15 days, we received 150 million ticket requests. So, 10 million ticket requests every single day. It shows how powerful the World Cup is," Infantino said on Monday at the World Sports Summit in Dubai.
"In the almost 100 years of history of the World Cup, FIFA has sold 44 million tickets in total. So, in two weeks... we could've filled 300 years of World Cups. Imagine that. This is absolutely crazy."
Fans from the U.S. have made the highest number of ticket requests, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom, the FIFA president said.
"What's crucial is that the revenues that are generated from this are going back to the game all over the world," he added.
"Without FIFA there'd be no football in 150 countries in the world. There is football because, and thanks to, these revenues we generate with, and from, the World Cup which we reinvest all over the world."
DUBAI TO HOST FIFA BEST AWARDS NEXT YEAR
Dubai will host the global governing body's Best Awards ceremony next year.
The FIFA Best Awards honour the top men's and women's players, as well as coaches and teams, as voted for by fans, media representatives, captains and national team coaches.
"I can announce here a new partnership we have closed together to honour the best players, coaches and teams, here in Dubai," Infantino said.
"We have enjoyed the sport, and now we will enjoy even more the unity the sport brings to the entire world."
France forward Ousmane Dembele was named men's player of the year and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women's award in 2025.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena and Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Ed Osmond)
