What Germany’s soccer chief really thinks about this World Cup

The interview has been translated from German and edited for length and clarity. Uli Hoeness, the president of leading German club Bayern Munich, says the exorbitantly high World Cup ticket prices make his skin crawl. Are you also in need of a dermatologist? I am critical of the pricing policy, as well. Football is about identity and community, and it should remain affordable for ordinary working people, too. The unregulated secondary ticket market is driving prices up even further. We have to be careful not to lose our most loyal fans. That is why I hope FIFA will return to a different pricing policy for the 2030 World Cup. Even U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that he would not pay $1,000 for the USA’s opening match against Paraguay. Would Germany’s opener against Curaçao be worth $1,000 to you? Honestly, no. As an ordinary fan who also has to pay for travel, accommodation, and expensive transport to the stadiums, I probably would not do it either. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter claims the organization now cares only about money, not the game. As a member of the FIFA Council, do you feel that criticism applies to you as well? Of course FIFA is generating a great deal of revenue from this World Cup. That was no different in Sepp Blatter’s day. But in the end, the money benefits football. It flows to all 211 member associations through a wide range of development programs. You can see the progress, among other things, in national teams such as Curaçao or Cape Verde, which have qualified for a World Cup for the first time. Hoeness claims that “sensible Germans” will not even travel to the World Cup because of the high costs. How many German fans are you expecting on site? The information we are receiving from FIFA suggests that demand from Germany is high. And of course we are grateful that, despite the high costs, many people from Germany still apparently want to make the trip to support the team. What might they face on arrival? More intensive checks on whether they have criticized Trump on social media — and, in the worst case, being turned away? We are monitoring the situation very closely and are in contact with the Foreign Office, the German Embassy in Washington, and the consulates general in the host cities so that we can gather as much information as possible. At present, we are not aware of any problems or restrictions. There are also no travel warnings for specific groups, such as the LGBTQIA+ community. Those staying home will have to get used to 13 different kick-off times in the group stage, some of them in the middle of the night. Do you understand why, because of inconveniences like these, there is not much excitement building for the World Cup? The World Cup is being held in three countries that already have different time zones within their own borders. It was clear from the outset that the matches involving European teams would not always take place during prime time in Europe. Even if Europe fields many strong teams, this is a tournament for the whole world. So we should not be outraged about the kick-off times. Fans will also have to accept what FIFA president Gianni Infantino calls “the greatest show on earth” — a concert including Madonna, Shakira and BTS — during an extended halftime break of the World Cup final on July 19. How enthusiastic are you about this premiere? The show is an integral part of sports in the United States. Do you have to like that? Not necessarily. If you do not want to watch it, you can go and get yourself something to drink during halftime. The United States is denying entry to fans from the countries of some World Cup participants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Can FIFA still help them at the eleventh hour? Naturally, I would like as many fans as possible from all 48 qualified countries to be able to attend. Even so, we have to accept that sovereign states set their own entry rules — that applies to Germany just as it does to the United States. It certainly makes sense for FIFA to be speaking with the U.S. authorities now about staging a tournament that is as open as possible to all fans. Whether the United States ultimately agrees to that is entirely up to them. Iran’s national team has now set off for its World Cup training camp in Turkey. But it is still unclear whether all players, coaches, and officials will receive U.S. visas. Several members of the country’s delegation are accused of ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. Is Iran demanding that FIFA ensure unrestricted entry for everyone? There appear to be 10 demands that Iran is making. They include the smooth issuance of visas, respect for Iran’s national flag and national anthem, and guarantees of security at airports and hotels. We have taken note of what Gianni Infantino said at the most recent FIFA Congress in Vancouver, where he was very optimistic that Iran would take part in the World Cup. That is by no means a foregone conclusion: Part of the Iranian delegation was denied entry to Canada. Talks are now expected to take place between FIFA and the Iranian football federation. I hope Infantino proves right and that Iran ultimately competes in the tournament. What is FIFA’s contingency plan if Iran were to pull out after all? The rules are clear: In that case, the FIFA Council would decide. But we did not discuss that at the meeting in Vancouver, precisely because Infantino is convinced that Iran will take part. If the talks with Iran were nevertheless to fail, we would have to convene the FIFA Council very quickly. Numerous human-rights organizations fear that human-rights violations could occur during the World Cup, particularly because of the controversial U.S. immigration authority ICE. Do you share that concern? We hope everything remains peaceful. Nothing can be ruled out; the political situation is tense and fluid. What we saw in Minnesota rightly disturbed — and angered — many people. I would welcome it if U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sticks to his pledge that no ICE officers will be deployed in World Cup stadiums. Should Trump be stripped of the peace prize that Infantino awarded him? I see your point. But to be fair, Trump received the award shortly after a ceasefire had been reached between Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. That certainly would not have been possible without the United States. The major governing bodies were facing demands to exclude Israel from international competition because of its military actions in Gaza. I was firmly opposed to such a step and was therefore glad that, because of the agreement, those demands no longer played a role. I am a historian, and as Germans, in light of our history, I believe we bear a special responsibility toward the State of Israel. How do you assess Infantino’s failed attempt to reconcile the presidents of the Israeli and Palestinian federations on stage at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver? It was certainly an honorable attempt to use football to help take some of the heat out of this conflict. The question is whether it should have been done on an open stage or, perhaps more diplomatically, behind the scenes. Unfortunately, there were no winners in that moment. But I do believe Gianni Infantino is genuinely committed to the issue — and that deserves recognition as well. Can you understand the constant criticism of Infantino because of his closeness to Trump? That is not something to criticize in principle. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is necessary. As president of a major governing body — such as FIFA, UEFA, or the DFB — you have to talk to and work with political leaders. When Germany hosted Euro 2024, for example, we held many discussions in Berlin together with UEFA on issues such as security, transport, and the economy. Hosting the Women’s Euros in 2029 will likewise require extremely close coordination with politicians. That is simply part of professional cooperation. Is a meeting between you and Trump planned during the World Cup in your capacity as a FIFA Council member? And would you decline an invitation to the White House? I consider such a scenario very unlikely. But if the FIFA Council were to receive an invitation, I would comply as a member of that body. That also has to do with respect. Political matters would most certainly not be negotiated there, however. I am happy to leave that to the German government. What exactly does that mean? During the tournament, we will explicitly refrain from commenting on day-to-day political developments in the United States or elsewhere in the world. To put it somewhat bluntly: I will not be reacting to every tweet by Donald Trump. Even so, people can trust that the DFB — and I personally — have a clear moral compass that I will not abandon. We stand always and everywhere for the liberal rule of law and parliamentary democracy. We stand for tolerance, respect, and diversity. That is not only enshrined in our statutes; it is something we live every day. So far, we have received confirmation from the Chancellery that the Minister of State for Sport and Volunteering, Dr. Christiane Schenderlein, will attend. Whether the chancellor himself will come remains open. I assume the chances will increase the further our team progresses in the tournament. Since we are optimistic, we are assuming that Friedrich Merz will make the trip at some point.