Andrew Giuliani – son of Rudy Giuliani and Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 – sat down with Victoria Derbyshire on Newsnight to discuss the tournament that began this week in North America. In a single interview, he credited Donald Trump’s “incredible political leadership” for driving ticket prices up, confirmed that Iran’s players were only being allowed into the United States one day before their match, declined to directly answer whether Africa’s top referee had been banned on terrorism grounds, and said the administration was “not too happy” with arrangements for disabled fans – who a supporter organisation says could face costs of up to $7,000 to follow their team to the final. Trump himself, he suggested, might hand over the World Cup trophy. “He loves a cliffhanger.”
The ticket prices – and who is responsible
Derbyshire asked about ticket prices. Giuliani’s answer began: “Well, you know, FIFA’s in charge of the pricing, not the United States government. We don’t believe in price controls here.”
He then added: “I agree with the president. Prices are very, very expensive. And I think that’s what you end up having when you have such a strong demand for a sporting event like the World Cup.”
And then: “Frankly, the demand to come to the United States of America. There’s over 6 million tickets sold at this point. The previous record was 3.5 million, also in the United States back in 1994. It just shows, when you have incredible political leadership like President Donald Trump, and you add that to the World Cup, you have incredible demand that frankly drives the price of tickets up.”
Trump himself, Giuliani acknowledged, had said in May that he would not pay the $1,000 needed to watch the United States play Paraguay in their opening game. The answer to why prices were so high was therefore simultaneously that FIFA was responsible, that Trump wouldn’t pay the prices himself, and that Trump’s “incredible political leadership” was the reason the prices were what they were.
Iran – one day before their match
Derbyshire asked whether some players were only being allowed into the United States on the day of their games. Giuliani said this was “not accurate” in the specific form the question was asked. Iranian players would be let in one day before their match. “They have a flight from Tijuana to Los Angeles, it’s about a 25-minute flight, very close.”
He added: “36 hours is plenty of time. They’re going to have the opportunity to see the field. I think in light of the conflict that’s going on in Iran right now, that’s more than fair.”
Some Iranian officials would not be allowed in at all, he said, due to “direct ties to the IRGC.” All 31 Iranian players and coaches would be present for the match, he confirmed.
The World Cup was awarded on the explicit promise – made by Trump in 2018 – that “all eligible athletes, officials, and fans from all countries around the world would be able to enter the United States without discrimination.” Derbyshire asked whether the US had “failed already” on that commitment.
“I would actually point to everything that the United States has done to make sure that all those good actors, all those people that are actually coming here, that are not cooperating with terrorist organizations, have had access to this World Cup. Every single player has gotten into the country that has applied. Every single coach has gotten into the country that has applied.”
There was one exception. One referee had not been granted entry.
Africa’s top referee – and the terrorism implication
Derbyshire asked directly: “Are you suggesting that Africa’s top referee, Omar Artan, is somehow liaising with terrorist organizations?”
Giuliani: “I’ve said what I said. You can go back to the clip.”
What he had said was that there was “derogatory information” on Artan, that “a lot of which I cannot disclose,” but that “this man was communicating with some very, very bad people as recently as right as he was leaving the country coming to the United States of America.”
Omar Artan is Africa’s top football referee. The claim that he had been communicating with “very, very bad people” is a serious allegation. Giuliani declined to be more specific, declined to confirm whether terrorism was the specific concern, and directed Derbyshire back to his earlier statement.
Disability access – a ‘tax on disability’
The most concrete policy failure in the interview concerned disabled fans. Football Supporters Europe has called the 2026 World Cup “the first international sporting event in modern times effectively excluding fans with disabilities.” Their specific concerns: no accessibility tickets among the cheapest category four ticket options, no free access for companions, and what they described as “absurd parking prices.” The cumulative effect: following a team to the final could cost someone in a wheelchair up to $7,000.
Derbyshire asked Giuliani: “How did you let that happen?”
Giuliani: “Yeah, we’re talking to FIFA about that as a matter of fact. We have a discussion about that this afternoon. That’s certainly something that President Trump wants to address with FIFA and plans to do.”
Asked whether this would change before the start of the tournament: “I’m saying FIFA is the one that set up inside the stadium in terms of that. We heard that. We’re not too happy with it and we’re going to ultimately discuss that in the coming hours.”
The tournament had already begun.
The booing question – and the cliffhanger
Derbyshire asked about Trump being booed. As we reported in our Trump NBA Finals piece, the President was greeted with eight seconds of booing at Madison Square Garden, cancelled the outdoor watch party that thousands of Knicks fans had been looking forward to, appeared to fall asleep during the game and watched the Knicks lose 115-111. Giuliani deflected: “I know the president is very very excited about it. He’s focused on many things beyond just the World Cup right now.”
On whether Trump might hand over the World Cup trophy at the July 19th final in New Jersey: “If you know my boss and good friend President Trump, what I can tell you is the one thing he loves is a cliffhanger. So all I can tell everybody is stay tuned.”
Giuliani had, earlier in the interview, allowed himself to speculate about “wouldn’t it be amazing if the US and England faced off 250 years later, except this time on the soccer pitch come July 19th in the final in New Jersey.” England play Croatia next week.
You can watch the full interview below:
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