[71399] Concerns in the US: Low public interest ahead of the 2026 World Cup

2026 World Cup: Criticism of ticket prices and lack of public interest in the US

According to reports on the sports channels Esteghlal Fans Channel and Latest Sports News, US President Donald Trump expressed sharp criticism at the beginning of May regarding the "high price of World Cup tickets," against the backdrop of reports of lower-than-expected sales for the upcoming tournament.

Search data on networks points to a worrying trend, as according to the channel Summary | Football Summary, "search engines show no sign of demand" for tickets. An analysis of search data in the United States over the last three months reveals that the level of interest stands at only about 45% of its peak.

The sources further note that the only significant increase in searches occurred between March 31 and April 2, immediately following the official release of the match schedule. According to the report on the Esteghlal Fans Channel, the data casts a big question mark over the public response in the US to the global sporting event.