Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 12:10 / Updated Tuesday, March 10, 2026 12:14
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed the incredibly high draw of soccer fans eager to witness the 2026 World Cup matches scheduled to be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
There are only 93 days left until the start of the WC 2026 and the interest of the fans has already reached unimaginable heights. And this is what Gianni Infantino talked about in the exclusive interview published today by the Spanish daily AS.
Infantino: “500 million is something unprecedented in the history of FIFA. All the arenas will be full, it will be a total celebration”
“It's going to be a fantastic, phenomenal tour, and the anticipation in the United States, Mexico and Canada is unprecedented. In four weeks we've had over 500 million ticket requests. It's something impressive… We have almost seven million tickets, but reaching 500 million is something unprecedented in the history of FIFA or any other institution!”.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, and the president of the USA, Donald Trump, present the official entrance ticket to the WC 2026 / Photo: Imago
70 of the 104 matches have had over one million ticket requests and the rest are close. We keep some tickets during the tour and to have tickets for the last few days. All the stadiums will be full, it will be a total celebration.
It was said that in the USA football or «soccer», as they call it, was not very popular, but this perception has changed. It will be a success. It will be the first World Championship with 48 teams.
104 matches, 16 cities, three countries… something enormous awaits us. More than a tournament, it's more than a sporting competition, it's a social event that people will stop to watch.”said the FIFA president.
“WC 1994? Fantastic! Now the football landscape has changed”
Infantino also recalled the 1994 World Cup, the first hosted by the USA and in which the “Golden Generation” achieved the greatest performance in the history of the Romanian national team, the qualification in the “quarters”, where they lost on penalty kicks to Sweden.
“Batigol” in Romania – Argentina 3-2 (WC 1994)
“It was fantastic. But now the football landscape has changed, we have a very good relationship with everyone, it's important to listen and talk to everyone to build. The first Club World Cup was a resounding success, not only from an economic point of view, but also from a sporting point of view.
In the Chelsea – PSG final, footballers of 16 nationalities, from five continents, played. At a World Cup of national teams, you have at most two nationalities and maybe two continents”.
“Italy from 1982 stayed in my heart. I'm also an Inter fan!”
Asked about his idols, the head of football's supreme forum revealed that “I have been an ardent football fan since childhood. I have many. I remember the World Cup in Spain 1982. Italy won, with Paolo Rossi and all that team of great players.
For me it was something spectacular. I was a 12-year-old child at the time. It's an important team, a moment that stayed in my heart. I am also a fan of Inter Milan (…).
Cristi Chivu has 22 victories in 27 stages as coach of Inter / Photo: Imago Images
I remember Alessandro Altobelli, who scored a goal in the final. His third and the celebration against Germany was something spectacular.”
Infantino did not forget to mention two world legends: “When we talk about the '80s and '90s, we also have to talk about Diego Maradona, one of the greatest players of all time. When you see the pictures now, you think about what he did and what he was capable of. Players were not protected like they are now. An idol, a phenomenon…
“If a player covers his mouth and says something and it has racist consequences, obviously he needs to be removed”
I didn't see Pelé play, but he was there a world idol before social media, before globalization. He will remain an idol for today's kids who didn't see him play, which means he did something special.
Ronaldo Nazario is also a phenomenon. Whenever you talk to players and ask them who is the best player they have played with, 90% of them say Ronaldo. It was spectacular.”
Today it's Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but I also have to remember all the Spaniards who won the World Cup in 2010. Now, many of them are friends, like Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas, Puyol… Spain has always had great players, coaches and coaches, like Del Bosque, Aragonés, Guardiola… people who wrote football history. And that is why we are very grateful to Spain
– Gianni InfantinoFIFA president
Vinicius (left), in full verbal conflict with Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica) / photo: Imago Images
Other opinions expressed by Gianni Infantino in the AS interview:
About racism: “We have to fight with all our might, it's 2026 and it's not possible to discriminate someone because of their origin. Sometimes I'm told that racism is society's problem. Yes, but we in football have to solve it in football, and society will solve it as it sees fit. But in football racism has no place and there is no excuse. Zero tolerance.
It is not enough to cover your mouth, because you will say something bad. If a player covers his mouth and says something, and it has racist consequences, obviously he needs to be removed. Of course, when it comes to a disciplinary case, we have to analyze the situation, we have to have evidence, but we can't be satisfied with that from now on.”
About the favorites at WC 2026: “Spain is one of the favourites, along with other teams of course. We already know the value of Spain. The number one team in the FIFA ranking must be the main favorite to win the world title.”
