Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

He understood immediately the magnitude, the impact of the World Cup and instructed as well the administration to help and assist.

Now you’re speaking about the biggest power in the world so of course there are certain things that have to be taken into account we have been discussing about them earlier.

But to be able to exchange with the President on important topics, with his administration to put everything on the table without asking for anything but trying to explain, I think is probably the key to having a positive relationship. That’s the way I see it.

Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

I have a great relationship with President Trump. I'm very happy about that. I got to know him during his first mandate and we have been working very closely together now in this second term. Without his engagement and involvement, I think it would have been, simple as that, impossible to organise a World Cup in the United States.

And now Gianni Infantino is finished with his first news conference in three years.

He says to "enjoy the World Cup" before making his exit.

The US journalist asks about Gianni Infantino's relationship with President Donald Trump.

He says it would have been "impossible" to organise a World Cup in the United States without him.

An Argentinian journalist has asked a question and all I could make out from it was "Argentina" and "Lionel Messi".

Image source, Getty Images

We've now had a question and an answer in French.

Gianni Infantino gave a pretty strong defence of Fifa's ticket pricing.

We'll have it with you soon.

Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

On if he agrees that fans have been priced out of the 2026 World Cup.

Let me say one thing. Let me congratulate Mayor Zohran Mamdani from New York. He put on sale 1,000 tickets at $50 and since then, he got fantastic news [coverage]. We put on sale 130,000 at $60 and we don't get great news. Probably he has better communication people than us. I want to congratulate him for that initiative.

The starting price at $60; the market is what it is. If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices. Where would the money go then? To those who organised secondary or black market activities and not to football. Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football. we have one competition every four years. The 47 other months out of the 48, we are investing this revenue in growth. Nobody else is doing that.

Gianni Infantino adds more on the money being made from ticket prices: "It is being invested to bring children hopes and dreams."

Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

It’s not easy when you have 300,000 accredited people, majority of which from outside of the US, to process them to vet them, you don’t know. Unfortunately, our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything and you need to respect the decisions which are taken and when I say to chill, I don’t mean to chill and do nothing.

I mean to trust us, that we are working behind the scenes, we are trying to understand and there are things we can know, things we cannot know, things we are told, not told.

We always try to make the situation as positive as possible and to find solutions. Sometimes we manage, other times not.

I think it has already been successful to bring Iran to play in America. I don't know who would have managed to do that, and of course, everyone here believes it's the right thing to do but again we don't live on the moon; we live on planet earth and you have to deal with different situations. We try to do our best and I hope we’ll have some good news.

He adds that the World Cup could go behind a paywall and millions of people around the world would miss out on watching it.

Gianni Infantino says every dollar that comes in goes back into football.

He says they are investing the revenue into the growth of the game and that no one else is doing this.

Another question in English and it's about the price of tickets.

The question mentions how President of the US Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer both said the price is too high.

Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

On if he regrets the US being a co-host of the World Cup.

No, I don't regret anything. I have been organising events for the last 30 years. I am used to dealing with issues. The press conference I made you all remember that. The issues there were different, probably bigger. I was feeling I had to give a voice to all those unheard. There are issues; it's normal for an event of this magnitude.

I would always hope there are no issues, but hey, that's what we have to deal with. Some come from the United States, some from Canada, some from Mexico. We deal with all of them and we have the same positive spirit. Hopefully, we can solve all of them. Probably not, but we still do our best.

Gianni Infantino
Fifa president

You know in 2035 I think, we hope, the women’s World Cup will be in the UK right - there still needs to be a decision but it looks like it.

Would you find it normal that Fifa would dictate to the British government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country?

I don’t know. Maybe you find it normal. I would like personally, on the other side, the reality of the matter is that in every country, there are governments that try to get into the UK, Germany, Switzerland without a visa, try to get a visa if you’re from certain countries, it’s not easy, that’s what I want to say.

He references the news conference in Qatar 2022 and says he feels like he had to give a voice to those issues.

Gianni Infantino is asked whether he regrets hosting this World Cup.

He says he doesn't and he's used to dealing with issues.

We've now got a question in English from a South African journalist.

A room full of journalists for Gianni Infantino.

Image source, Getty Images

Another question in Spanish for Gianni Infantino.