Ex-Liverpool CEO sides with Zohran Mamdani in emotional statement on World Cup controversy

Peter Moore has issued a lengthy statement calling on FIFA to take action, siding with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over the premium ticket market for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed concerns about World Cup ticket prices(Image: Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP via Getty Images)

Former Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has admitted that his "heart is broken" by the extortionate ticket prices at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, calling them "detached from the soul" of soccer.

Moore was hired as Liverpool CEO by Fenway Sports Group in 2017 and spent three years at the club before stepping down and being replaced by Billy Hogan. Ticket prices have been a hot topic in recent months, with fans increasingly priced out by the highest bidder.

Liverpool has faced backlash for increasing season ticket costs, but the World Cup scenario has taken center stage. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani wants prices to be affordable, and Moore believes that passionate fans have been pushed out.

When he became NYC mayor, Mamdani highlighted how expensive World Cup final tickets would be compared to those for the tournament held in Qatar four years earlier. "I want the price to be something that's affordable," he said.

"This, you'd have to mortgage your house to be able to afford that for a lot of people. And when it was last in the United States, you could get to the final in California for less than $200. That needs to be what we're looking for."

Moore, an experienced executive who has also worked alongside FIFA with Electronic Arts, admitted that the situation has been playing on his mind and released a detailed statement. "This has been weighing heavily on me, and I can’t stay quiet about it any longer," Moore wrote on X.

Peter Moore was Liverpool CEO from 2017 to 2020(Image: 2019 Liverpool FC)

"I am 71 years old. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend five World Cups, starting in 1986. Those tournaments weren’t just events to me, they were life chapters.

"They were about connection, about culture, about standing shoulder to shoulder with people from every corner of the world, united by the game we love. But what I’m seeing now breaks my heart.

"The current dynamic pricing strategy for the upcoming World Cup feels completely detached from the very soul of football. Yes, this tournament is being played mostly in the United States, and yes, it’s a premium market.

"But football was never meant to be a luxury product reserved for the highest bidder. It belongs to the people. Always has. I looked back fondly at USA 94 and everything we did then to fill stadiums and bring the game to life for Americans who were just dipping their toes into the water of the beautiful game.

"Right now, it feels like the average, passionate supporter, the ones who save for years, who travel across continents, who bring the color, the noise, the spirit, are being pushed out. Replaced by a model that prioritizes revenue over reality.

"That’s a dangerous road because once you lose the authentic fan, you lose the essence of what makes the World Cup special. I say this not just as a fan, but as someone who has spent a lifetime in and around the game.

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"During my time at EA SPORTS, we stood shoulder to shoulder with FIFA when they needed it most. Our game kept millions of fans connected to football and to the World Cup when trust in the organization was at its lowest. We helped carry the flame. Which is why this moment feels even more disappointing.

"This may well be one of the last World Cups I have the chance to attend and I find myself wondering if the game I’ve loved all my life is slowly drifting away from people like me, and far more importantly, from the next generation who deserve to feel what I felt in 1986.

"The World Cup should unite the world. Not divide it by price. Football deserves better. And so do the fans. Come on @FIFAcom , sort this out… It’s not too late."