Germany players ‘to fund’ free buses for 4,000 fans to Ecuador match | OneFootball

Led by captain Joshua Kimmich, Germany’s players will fund free shuttle buses for 4,000 supporters to reach MetLife Stadium for their final Group E match against Ecuador on 25 June at 22:00 in East Rutherford, in the New York suburbs.

The move comes amid anger over World Cup transport prices in the United States. According to The Athletic, several senior squad members have committed to paying for the services to help fans get to the ground.

On Monday, the German federation reserved buses to carry supporters. The journey between Manhattan and the stadium has become far costlier for the tournament, with a New Jersey Transit return priced at 98 dollars, compared with about a dozen euros normally.

In a message to supporter groups, the players praised the financial sacrifices made to follow the team across the Atlantic and said they wanted to give a little back.

The gesture has been widely welcomed in Germany. It aligns with the team’s efforts to rebuild ties with fans after group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, and under Julian Nagelsmann they are again competitive and considered among the favourites.

Source: L'Équipe