For close to a couple of months, a debate over the exorbitant 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket prices has been ongoing among fans. United States men’s national team (USMNT) winger Timothy Weah also labelled the tickets ‘too expensive’ during an interview last month.
And USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino addressed Weah’s remarks last week, insisting the Olympique Marseille man’s duty is to play soccer, not to evaluate ticket prices. He also stated his players should only ‘talk on the pitch’ as they ‘are not politicians.’
USMNT Boss Blasted After Recent 2026 FIFA World Cup Remarks
During a recent interaction on Futbol Americas, former USMNT star Herculez Gomez hit out at Pochettino for ridiculing Weah’s opinion about the FIFA World Cup tickets.
“It’s the U.S. men’s national team, the country, what it’s supposed to represent, land of the free, home of the brave. Except right now, he is saying, ‘You don’t get free speech’. And he is equating (Weah’s comments) to a political statement, which it is not,” he said.
“Timothy Weah expressed what many global citizens today have been expressing, that this World Cup has turned corporate… that it is no longer the game of the people. It’s the game of the rich… thousands of dollars for single gameday tickets,” Gomez added.
Gomez, who represented clubs like the Los Angeles Galaxy, Kansas City Wizards, and Colorado Rapids during his playing career, also offered additional support to Weah.
“Here is one of the few players on your team with World Cup experience, who has scored a goal in a World Cup, voicing their opinion how they’d like their people, their fans in general, people of all races and colors, to enjoy the game and you’re saying, ‘Shut up and dribble’,” the former 24-cap USMNT international commented.
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Agreeing with Gomez, former Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop said the USMNT boss’ reaction to Weah’s comments was almost ignorant.
“(Pochettino’s opinion) couldn’t be more tone deaf. This is harkening back to 60 or 70 years ago as it’s beyond belief that in 2026 we have somebody like Mauricio Pochettino, given the position he holds in this country with its history of activism and also of athlete activism, in this moment making this statement,” the ex-West Ham United star said.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, boasting ticket prices as high as $8,680, will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will be played in 11 different American cities, with the final held in New Jersey.
