Zohran Mamdani Advocates for Affordable World Cup Tickets

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is once again pushing for lower ticket prices to the World Cup. Recently, the democratic socialist discussed the high costs of tickets for the tournament in New York City, one of the locations for the final, during an appearance on the Pablo Torre Discovery podcast.

“FIFA’s ticketing strategy seems to be unique, but it also leads to price hikes that didn’t exist in previous tournaments, making it harder for many New Yorkers to actually attend,” he remarked.

Mamdani, who is a fan of the British Arsenal Football Club, highlighted the disparity in ticket prices compared to the last World Cup final hosted in the U.S. back in 1994, where tickets were under $200 in today’s dollars. “Now, we’re looking at face value tickets costing over $6,000. That’s just outrageous.”

In an effort to address this, Mamdani has proposed that 15% of tickets be reserved for local residents at a reduced price. He also urged FIFA to reconsider its plan to set ticket prices based on demand.

Recently, the candidate raised eyebrows by spending considerably on private security, despite previously advocating for police reimbursement.

Fox News Digital reached out to FIFA for a response but did not receive an immediate reply.

The upcoming World Cup is set to take place across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Notably, eight matches, including the final, will happen at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

According to earlier reports from the Associated Press, FIFA’s adoption of a dynamic pricing model has caused quite a stir among fans.

Tickets are starting at $60 for initial group stage matches, while costs can escalate to $6,730 for the final, with fluctuations due to demand-based pricing models.