While FIFA boss Gianni Infantino claims World Cup ticket prices are reasonable, England weather a Florida storm and Mexico braces for political unrest ahead of the Bafana Bafana showdown.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino brushed off intense criticism over World Cup visa blockades and sky-high ticket prices on Wednesday during a defiant eve-of-tournament press conference.
Speaking in Mexico City ahead of the World Cup's opening blockbuster at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, Infantino launched a spirited defence of the logistical organisation surrounding the expanded 48-team extravaganza, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Infantino and football's global governing body have come under stinging criticism over the eye-watering costs of World Cup tickets, while Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown has already seen a top African match official, Iranian team dignitaries, and thousands of international fans flatly refused entry to the United States.
However, Infantino stubbornly insisted that tickets to the tournament — which in some premium corporate cases have topped $30,000 — had been priced appropriately, defensively citing a tiny pool of $60 tickets that were made available to the public in response to widespread public backlash.
