World Cup 2026: Fans Weigh Sky-High Costs Against the Dream of Being There
With the World Cup just weeks away, fans across the United States are doing the math and asking a tough question: Is it really worth it?
Parking in one host city can run over $200—and that’s not even at the stadium. A train ride to a match in New Jersey costs $150 roundtrip, compared to the usual $12.90. Hotel rooms for a single game night in Boston average $662. And a fan group has called FIFA’s ticket prices “extortionate.”
FIFA says it’s a nonprofit that reinvests ticket revenue into global soccer development. But the organization is projected to bring in at least $11 billion from the tournament. For many fans, that promise of future investment doesn’t ease the sting of paying $6,730 for a finals ticket or navigating a maze of ticketing tiers and complicated transit.
“The travel distances are very long,” said Rodrigo Lipara, a 52-year-old Argentine fan who decided to stay home. “When you add stadium prices, food, hotels and everything else, it really discourages people who aren’t upper class.”
Public transit, reliable in many European and South American cities, is less dependable for U.S. stadiums built far from city centers. Thiago Deya, an executive with Argentina’s official travel agency, said his company has to arrange buses and vans to reach Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. “That increases costs,” he said.
Scotland fan Hazel Stewart, who bought a $6,000 ticket package for three games, estimates her total trip could hit $20,000. “How is a working man able to afford that from Scotland?” she asked. She and 10,000 fellow supporters are instead basing themselves in Providence, Rhode Island, where they’ve organized their own bus convoy with a police escort.
Even fans who drive face headaches. Gillette Stadium will have 15,000 fewer parking spots than usual. At MetLife Stadium, there’s no general parking at all; the nearest lot, half a mile away, charges $225—and it’s already sold out for the final.
For some, the promise of an unforgettable experience still outweighs the cost. But for many others, the price of a dream has simply become too high.