FIFA Pricing for World Cup Draws Fury From Fans

[PeterRS]

For decades, FIFA the governing body for world soccer which organises the World Cup every four years, has been the subject of way more than a fair share of scandals - nepotism, corruption on a massie scale, working with alleged and virtually certain crooks, and so on.  All coalesce around the World Cup if only because it generates humungous sums of cash. Next year's Cup will be no exception. Someone, somewhere, decided it would be a good idea to split the matches between the USA, Canada and Mexico. Such a good idea did this seem that in 2030 the countries will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Well, for the hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world, commuting between the 2030 countries will be relatively easy. For 2026 it will be hugely costly. But that doesn't worry FIFA one iota. Inspired no doubt by President Trump, it has litte concern for the cost of getting to North America from as far away as Australia and Chile, it has raised ticket prices to astronomcal levels. For Qatar's Final Match in 2022, the lowest ticket price was US$420. When the final is held in New York's MetLife Stadium next year, there will be just three price categories -US$3,119, US$4,162 and US$6,615. These are shocking in the extreme and have been met with outrage all over the world. But as the draw was being made, there ws the utterly ridiculous sight of Trump being presented with FIFA's first ever FIFA Peace Prize - Football Unites the World. As the near idiot President of FIFA stated when handing over the Prize,

“This is what we want from a leader; A leader that cares about the people. We want to live in a safe world, in a safe environment. We want to unite – that’s what we do here today, that’s what we’ll do at the (FIFA) World Cup."

Whoever would have thought that FIFA would inaugrate a Peace prize when it has nothing to do with Peace? Mind you, FIFA has become almost a Donald Duck operation over the years and few have much faith in it.

For years foortball enthusiasts used to berate the President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, for the organisation, cost and corruption involved in World Cups. After all they made FIFA a gazillian $$s, some finding its way into pockets of Blatter and his cronies of the Executive Committee when it should have gone to soccer federations around the world. Blatter had been an odd coice for President. Once a salesman for ladies underwear, he had eventually become involved in sports management. His election and re-elections to the top job were beset by corruption allegations. He was investigated by FIFA's Ethics Committee and amazingly - but perhaps not surprisingly since the members were basically in his pocket - cleared of wrong-doing in 2013. He finally had to resign as President. His misdeeds then caught up with him in 2020/21, however, when he ws investigated by the Swiss police and FIFA finally filed a criminal complaint against him. This ended the influence of the deeply unpopular and highly corrupt Blatter.

In his place FIFA elected its present President, Giovanni Infantino. involved with its European arm UEFA since 2000, initially in the legal department and eventually as President. He was aso on FIFA's Reform Committee. When elected to succeed Blatter he was regarded as Mr. Clean. But then that did not last long. That same year UEFA was involved in the Panama Papers for dealng with idividuals indicted in some FIFA countries. Of his many indiscretions since then, perhaps the most ifamous was his doing absolutely nothing as migrant workers from the Indian sub-continent were dying in their hundreds from desperate working conditions then buiding the stadiums for the 2002 Qatar Word Cup. Infantino's defence of Qatar was risible.

Next he limited the number of possible applicants for the 2034 World Cup and awarded it to Saudi Arabia. He had frequently been involved with Saudi leaders and apearing at Saudi events. That he is in league with the Saudis is almost certain. Infantino - a worthy seccessor to Blatter!

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c80x38e04yro