Gary Lineker has raised concerns over Donald Trump and World Cup ticket prices as the football world prepares for a tournament that rarely lacks drama on or off the pitch.
The 2026 World Cup should still be about the football once the first ball is kicked, but the build-up has been impossible to separate from the tense global political landscape, travel concerns and rising costs. Fans have already been asking whether ordinary supporters are being priced out of the tournament.
Lineker has now weighed in before heading to New York for Netflix’s World Cup coverage, and the England legend is clearly excited by the spectacle. But he also admits there are concerns that cannot be ignored.
Gary Lineker on ticket prices and the ‘unpredictable’ Donald Trump
The former England international, who has been covering the World Cup since 1986, has been looking ahead to the summer’s action, and why there could be problems.
Speaking to iNews, Lineker said: “This one is unique because I can’t remember the host country being at war with one of the competing nations. So that’s something that’s worrying and Trump is so unpredictable.
“The ticket pricing as well – are they going to price people out? What’s one of the great joys of the World Cup? Thousands of Argentinians, thousands of Brazilians, the Dutch all wearing orange. Are we going to get that? That worries me a bit.
“But I’ve also learned over the years in my experience of this – including in Russia, including in Qatar – once it starts everyone focuses on the football.”
The World Cup mania has a habit of taking over once the matches begin, but this tournament comes with obvious pressure points.
Ticket prices have become one of the biggest issues. The 2026 final is already being discussed as a huge jump from previous tournaments, with reports suggesting the best seats are several times more expensive than the top category for the Qatar 2022 final.
The concern is not just that tickets are expensive, but that the pricing now feels unpredictable. FIFA’s use of variable pricing has left some fans facing costs far above the headline entry-level prices, with average costs for some matches reported to be over $1,000 despite the lowest advertised tier starting at $60.
For travelling supporters already dealing with flights, hotels and long distances between host cities, that quickly changes the feel of the tournament.
There is also the travel question. The United States has fully suspended visa issuance for nationals of countries including Iran and Haiti, while several others are under partial restrictions. Athletes and team staff have exemptions, but supporters can face a very different situation.
That is why Lineker’s concern makes sense. A World Cup is supposed to look and feel global, with colour, noise and travelling support from every corner of the game.
The hope is that he is right in the end. The current global climate is hard to ignore, and so is the incredible cost of attending, but the tournament needs the football to become the story once it starts.
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