World Cup: Fans are steering clear of America’s tournament

When you look at the absurd ticket prices for the final – the last hospitality packages will set you back US$35,000 – you can see why even US President Donald Trump has raised his eyebrows at Fifa’s pricing structure. “I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” he told an interviewer from the New York Post this month when asked about ticket prices for the US’s first game.

It isn’t just the tickets that are a rip-off. On-the-ground transport is eye-wateringly expensive in some cities. Fans looking to make the trip from Boston train station to the stadium down in Foxborough – around 40 miles – face paying US$80 for the return trip, around four times as much as the usual fare.

At one point, fans taking the state-owned commuter train from New York to MetLife Stadium – just over the water in New Jersey – were expected to fork out US$150 for a return ticket. Though thankfully, the New Jersey government has since seen sense and stopped the madness.

High prices aren’t the only thing that might be putting fans off crossing the Atlantic this summer. In truth, the World Cup has been preceded by what might as well be a perfect storm of push factors – some of which can be laid at the feet of the US President himself.

For a start, there’s the long tail of all those horror stories that hit the headlines last year, when enhanced enforcement at US borders led to a handful of unlucky tourists being detained and deported – usually for “offences” that most of us would consider trifling (like the Welsh woman detained for breaching her Esta visa-waiver by doing housework in exchange for free boarding).

On the same theme, there’s also been the ramping up of ICE agents on the streets of major cities – including at major sporting events. In the past few months, Trump officials have repeatedly refused to rule out having flak-jacketed agents patrolling the host cities during the World Cup. Presumably, they won’t just be there to direct fans to the right gate at the stadium.

Before the MAGA superfans begin crowing, we all know that Trump was elected on a promise to fix America’s leaky borders. But would it really have troubled the President to send out a loud and clear message that law-abiding tourists are welcome this summer? That would have helped calm nerves among football fans, without undermining the wider border agenda.

It’s the same obstinacy that led to the prolonged government shutdown and the resulting chaos at major airports across the States last year. Back in November, some 2000 flights were being cancelled per day, with airports like Atlanta and Houston reporting four-hour delays at security lines. The shutdown may have ended, but travellers have long memories.

Should we expect rows of empty seats when the tournament kicks off next month? I wouldn’t bank on it. For a start, there are still the domestic fans: anyone who has been to an MLS game can tell you how passionate Americans are for soccer these days. Though we’ll see whether that excitement extends to Portugal v DR Congo on a sweltering mid-week day in Houston.

Likewise, maybe some European fans will seize the opportunity. Being able to bag reasonably priced return flights – and get an affordable hotel – is not to be sniffed at. At the very least, you’ll be able to soak up the World Cup atmosphere, probably in one of those American sports bars with multiple screens and game-day deals on beer.

Who knows, you may even get lucky. According to reports, resale prices for game tickets have been dropping quickly, as touts face up to the slower demand. Paying US$500 for a last-minute pair of tickets to England v Croatia in Dallas? Now you’re talking.

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