Ian Wright fumes at ‘scandalous’ cost of World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

Ian Wright has branded the cost of this summer’s World Cup as “scandalous” with fans forced to shell out thousands in order to support their country on international football’s grandest stage.

Fifa has been on blast for their exorbitant ticket prices for the tournament held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, to the point where even US president Donald Trump remarked “I wouldn’t pay that either” when discussing the costs.

Supporters have also been dealt further financial blows regarding travel, with New Jersey entering the headlines after setting the cost of a return train ticket from Penn Station to the MetLife Stadium - which usually sets a commuter back $12.90 - at $150. NJ Transit have since slashed this to $98, while shuttle bus fares are down to $20 from $80 following immense scrutiny.

England legend Wright will be across the Atlantic for the World Cup as a pundit for ITV and did not hold back at the broadcaster’s launch event when asked on the cost of the competition for fans, drawing to the development that this season’s European finals will not be free-to-air to highlight a concerning trend in football.

Ian Wright is the latest to blast the World Cup’s extortionate costs (Getty)

"It's massive, it's scandalous what's going on,” he said. “Yesterday I heard what else is going behind the (pay) wall, Europa League, Champions League... FA Cup has been behind the wall... this is where football is going.

“The tickets. The travel, everything is extortionate, it's a rich man's game. It's scandalous.

“If I was young Ian Wright - eight-year-old Ian Wright, 1970 World Cup, free-to-air, watched all the rounds - if I was young Ian Wright, I don't know where I'd get football from.

“Look at the FA Cup the other day, it came and went like nothing, that is something that is behind a wall. There are countries behind a wall at the World Cup, that's wrong in itself, if we're going to start charging people. It's not even accessible to people in America, this is the World Cup!”

Wright has implored with the footballing world not to allow this controversy be swept under the rug once the competition gets underway and inevitably captivates audiences, as happened in Qatar four years ago.

The tournament in the Gulf state was intensely scrutinised for its human rights abuses, particularly in the building of its stadiums, but that was somewhat overshadowed when Lionel Messi helped guide Argentina to a stunning triumph, capped off by an all-time classic final against France.

Wright added: "You know what else happens, the tournament starts, kicks in and goes brilliantly. It happened in South Africa and Qatar - this is the worst one, with everything going on. Nothing being said.

“It shouldn't be ignored, just because the games start, it should be taken up. The normal man, he says, 'I want to go to the World Cup', he's got no chance."