USMNT’s coach Pochettino responds to Weah’s political outburst

Day one of 2026 saw World Cup fever finally take off, but beyond the collective euphoria of officially starting the countdown, some parts of the world focused on highlighting several unresolved issues facing one of the tournament’s three host nations.

The United States is going through a period of intense political tension, a backdrop that is eroding its image as a tourist paradise and a regional benchmark compared with Mexico and Canada. It was in this context that FIFA gave the green light to stage what is, for now, the largest World Cup in history.

Not their place

The head coach of the United States men’s national team, Mauricio Pochettino, insisted that neither players nor coaching staffs have the authority to delve into issues that lie beyond what happens on the field. For the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, no one inside the team should be drawn into the debate over the unrealistic price of World Cup tickets, a topic that has sparked fierce criticism because of its inaccessibility for many fans.

That said, key figures for the USMNT under the Argentine coach, such as Timothy Weah, saw an opening – and took it.

“The real fans will miss games,” was the Olympique de Marseille player’s initial criticism at a time when protests from supporters were becoming increasingly frequent.

Echoing rhetoric straight out of Gianni Infantino’s playbook, the Stars and Stripes coach reiterated in a press conference FIFA’s efforts to bring to life every host nation’s dream of meeting all the requirements expected of a World Cup organizer.

“FIFA is doing an incredible job all over the world, bringing people together,” he said, before adding a personal view. “The media should direct those questions straight to FIFA; you’ll surely get a good answer. We need to focus on the sporting side and trust that the organization in charge of football will make the right decisions.”

There is little need to restate that the Fédération Internationale de Football Association has consistently justified ticket prices – regardless of the stage of the tournament – by pointing to high demand and the resulting surge in resale-market costs.

For this reason, and more, Weah felt compelled to call out what he sees as a flawed situation, especially as someone enthusiastic about his country’s unique opportunity to be at the center of the world for six weeks.

But the head coach’s blunt stance makes it clear that, even as star players, it is not their place to address issues of such complexity.

“Players have to speak on the field, through their play. It’s not their role to evaluate the price of a ticket,” he said. “My duty is to prepare the team in the best possible way. We’re not politicians, we’re athletes. If a decision is made [by FIFA], it’s their responsibility to explain why.”

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