'The World Cup Has Been Sold', German Legend Philipp Lahm Criticizes FIFA President

(Digital Itla) Germany's former World Cup winner and football legend, Philipp Lahm, has expressed serious concerns over rising ticket prices, strongly criticizing FIFA President Gianni Infantino and stating that he has "sold" the global football tournament.

In his column for a German newspaper, Philipp Lahm wrote that the World Cup is being sold. The credibility of football is being damaged, resulting in anxiety among fans, for whom it is becoming difficult to separate FIFA from the tournament itself. Philipp Lahm also criticized the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup, which was increased to 32 teams last year compared to only 7 teams previously. According to him, this decision has negatively impacted the players' physical fitness and schedule.

Philipp Lahm also questioned the ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026, writing that FIFA is accused of not presenting actual demand data transparently and using the situation to maximize revenue. He also expressed strong disapproval of the proposal to hold the World Cup every two years, calling it alarming. Lahm stated that for a tournament to leave a lasting impact, it requires proper preparation and follow-up. However, Lahm praised FIFA's decision to expand the current FIFA World Cup to 48 teams, noting that this move has brought forward interesting stories from teams like Curaçao, Cape Verde, Scotland, and the DR Congo. It is worth noting that Philipp Lahm has previously criticized Gianni Infantino during the 2022 World Cup, questioning his integrity.