“Unfair!” – Spain star speaks out on social media about World Cup final ticket prices
Borja Iglesias, the striker, called the ticket prices for Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain “a disgrace,” just hours before the game started. Many people have been unhappy with FIFA’s ticket prices this summer. Tickets for early matches cost a few hundred dollars, but final tickets at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium cost tens of thousands.
SeatGeek says the average price for a final ticket bought on their site was $12,751, or about £9,484. The Athletic reported that these prices are higher than any recent Super Bowl or NBA finals game in New York. It’s being called the most expensive sports event ever held in the US. Because of the high prices, hundreds of tickets were still on sale on FIFA’s site on Wednesday for around $7,000 (£5,206).
Fans and players have been talking a lot about the ticket prices. After England beat France 6-4 in the third-place match, defender Marc Guehi said the prices were “rubbish” and said, “I don’t know what FIFA was thinking.” On Instagram, Iglesias shared a picture of the MetLife Stadium seating plan with ticket prices and wrote “Una Verguenza,” which means “A disgrace” in English.
Iglesias has also criticized US President Donald Trump, who is expected to attend the final. Even though Iglesias doesn’t agree with Trump’s values, he said he will shake his hand because it’s the polite thing to do. He said, “There’s a protocol, and I have to follow it, even if my gut tells me differently.”
He added, “I respect people who fight for progress and basic values, and I think Trump struggles with that. I don’t want to go to prison. I hope to greet him when we’re all happy, and that it will be quick so I can forget about it. I don’t want to make a scene now. People already know what I think. I would love to do more, but even if people think I’m powerful, I don’t have the power to change everything.”