Oriontimes Poitical Desk| June 5, 2026 Obokun Local Government, under the strategic leadership of the Director-General of the APC Campaign Council, Hon. Oluwole Wole Oke, has once again taken the lead in grassroots political mobilisation with the successful inauguration of no fewer than 3,000 canvassers in support of the candidacy of Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji ahead of the forthcoming election. The landmark event, held in Ibokun, reflects Hon. Wole Oke’s unwavering commitment to building a formidable, structured, and result-driven campaign architecture capable of delivering victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC). As the political arrowhead of the campaign, Hon. Oke has continued to demonstrate exceptional organisational depth and strategic foresight, with Obokun serving as the operational nucleus of the statewide mobilisation effort. The inauguration marks a critical phase in the campaign’s grassroots engagement strategy, as the canvassers carefully selected across all ...
As outrage continues to swell across the football world, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has mounted a strong defense of the staggering ticket prices attached to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that the soaring costs are a reflection of “market reality” rather than greed.
Speaking during a global investment forum in California, Infantino argued that FIFA cannot ignore the commercial realities of hosting the biggest sporting event on earth in the United States, where entertainment and sports industries thrive on aggressive pricing systems. According to him, lowering official prices would only empower ticket scalpers to dominate the market and exploit desperate fans even further.
Yet, for millions of ordinary football supporters around the world, the explanation has done little to calm growing frustration.
The beautiful game, once celebrated as the people’s sport, now risks appearing increasingly fenced behind economic walls. Critics argue that the World Cup is drifting away from the working-class fans whose passion transformed football into a global religion.
Reports surrounding the tournament have triggered widespread disbelief. Premium tickets for the 2026 World Cup final are expected to cost several times higher than comparable seats at previous editions, with resale platforms already displaying astronomical figures capable of buying luxury homes in some countries.
Still, Infantino insists the demand justifies the pricing.
FIFA claims it has already witnessed unprecedented global interest, with hundreds of millions of ticket requests pouring in for the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. To the governing body, the numbers prove that football’s global appetite has never been stronger.
But to critics, the issue is no longer merely about economics, it is about identity.
Can football still call itself the game of the masses when attending its grandest spectacle increasingly becomes a privilege reserved for elites?
That question now hangs heavily over the road to 2026.
From Lagos to London, Buenos Aires to Johannesburg, many supporters fear the World Cup is gradually transforming from a festival of humanity into a luxury entertainment product accessible only to the financially powerful.
And while FIFA celebrates record demand and billion-dollar projections, fans across the globe continue asking a far simpler question:
Who is the World Cup truly for?
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