Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of the United States men's national football team, has delivered a blunt "shut up" warning to his players regarding their public criticism of the soaring ticket prices for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The manager has firmly instructed his squad to refrain from commenting on the contentious issue, emphasising that their focus should remain exclusively on sporting performance.
USMNT Players Voice Discontent Over Steep Costs
The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has been embroiled in controversy due to what many supporters and observers deem excessively high ticket prices. This has sparked widespread anger among football fans globally who are eager to attend the prestigious tournament.
Among those who have publicly expressed concern is USMNT winger Timothy Weah, a New York native and son of former Ballon d'Or winner George Weah. In an interview with French publication Le Dauphiné, Weah stated plainly, "It is too expensive." He elaborated, "Football should still be enjoyed by everyone. It is the most popular sport. This World Cup will be good, but it will be more of a show... I am just a bit disappointed by the ticket prices. Lots of real fans will miss matches."
Pochettino's Firm Directive to Focus on Football
Speaking at a press conference held at the FIFA World Cup headquarters in Florida, Pochettino made his position unequivocally clear. According to reports from The Athletic's Paul Tenorio and the Mirror US, the Argentine manager insisted that players must concentrate their commentary on matters "on the pitch."
"First of all, I think players need to talk on the pitch, playing football, not outside of the [pitch]," Pochettino declared. "It is not his duty to evaluate the price of the ticket. And then also my duty is to prepare the team, the U.S. men's national team, in the best way to perform."
He further stressed the separation between sports and politics, stating, "We are not politicians. We are sport people that only we can talk about our job. And I think if FIFA does something or takes some decision, they know why, and it is their responsibility to explain why. But it's not up to us to provide our opinion."
Manager Shows Deference to FIFA Leadership
Pochettino continued to express deference to FIFA, the global governing body led by president Gianni Infantino, who is known to be a close ally of former US President Donald Trump. The US coach praised the organisation's role in uniting people worldwide.
"We have the organisation that is over [the US Soccer Federation], that is FIFA, that is doing an amazing job around the world uniting people, because I think FIFA unites people," Pochettino added. "I think for sure the media need to ask directly to FIFA, and for sure you are going to receive a very good answer. But no, it is not up to us to judge this type of thing. We need to be focused on the sports side, and trust in the organisation that is in charge of football around the world, that they are going to do the right things."
This stance comes amid significant public scrutiny of FIFA's ticketing strategy. Infantino recently boasted that the organisation had received over 500 million requests for tickets during a registration window that closed on January 13, highlighting the immense demand despite the pricing controversy.
The situation places Pochettino in a delicate position as he prepares the USMNT for a home World Cup. While players like Weah, who scored the opening goal for the US at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and is expected to compete for a starting spot in 2026, have voiced genuine fan concerns, the manager is clearly prioritising team discipline and avoiding external distractions ahead of the tournament.
