German football legend Phillip Lahm has slammed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing him of 'selling out' the World Cup with high ticket prices. He says the moves rob football of credibility and make it difficult for fans to trust FIFA.
Former FIFA World Cup-winning Germany legend Phillip Lahm criticised the current FIFA president Gianni Infantino for "sellling out" the tournament, particularly condemning the high ticket prices. In his column for the German newspaper Die Zeit, as quoted by ESPN, he said, "The World Cup is being sold out."
Lahm, who led Germany to their fourth FIFA WC title back in 2014, added, "This robs football of its credibility. As a result, fans are uneasy. It's becoming increasingly difficult for them to separate FIFA from the event itself."
Criticism on Tournament Expansion and Ticketing
He also slammed the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, expanded to 32 teams last year, as compared to the long-standing seven teams per edition, for its effect on players' fitness.
He also criticised the ticket prices for the FIFA WC 2026, writing, "FIFA stands accused of not providing honest figures about the true demand and using this to maximise revenue."
The German legend was also "irritated" by the "recurring suggestion to host the WC every two years". "A tournament needs preparation and follow-up to have a lasting impact," he added.
Praise for 48-Team World Cup
However, he praised FIFA's expansion of the ongoing WC to 48 teams, which has created some wholesome stories out of players from teams like Curacuo, Cape Verde, Scotland and DR Congo and said that FIFA is "doing a lot of things right".
Lahm also criticised Infantino during the 2022 WC, calling him out for lacking "integrity".
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