The 2026 World Cup and Trump's White House UFC event are flopping, with weak ticket sales and public backlash — bad news for Trump and FIFA.

• World Cup tickets aren't selling because prices are too high, and tens of thousands of seats sit empty a week before kickoff.
• FIFA used surge pricing, then quietly dumped unsold tickets onto resale sites to avoid refunding fans who overpaid.
• The White House and FIFA are giving thousands of free tickets to veterans and first responders to fill the stands.
• Trump's UFC fight on the White House lawn is widely mocked, with the military fencing it off from gawkers and invited celebrities like Adam Sandler bowing out.
• Cities like Toronto are turning away from the event over cost and anger at US immigration crackdowns.

Outlook: Expect more empty seats and giveaways as both events go ahead next week, with FIFA unlikely to release real sales numbers.