Why some of the most dedicated World Cup fans are skipping this year’s tournament | OneFootball

Soccer fans typically traverse continents to witness their national teams compete on the sport's grandest stage, the World Cup, filling bars and fan zones with chants and fervent debate.

This summer, however, a growing number of dedicated supporters are finding the tournament to be the least welcoming they have ever experienced, citing prohibitive ticket prices, expensive cross-country travel, and concerns over US entry requirements.

Mike Wilson, an IT worker from London who has attended four World Cups over two decades, will instead watch part of this summer's tournament from a Portuguese beach.

Argentine doctor Emiliano Becerra, who usually follows his team through every elimination round, plans to attend only two early matches before returning home.

Peter Bergakker, a Dutch-born finance manager who flew to South Africa for the 2010 final, has vowed not to travel to the US, regardless of how far the "Oranje" advance.

While the exact number of fans staying away remains unclear, early indicators suggest a significant drop. Hotel bookings in many US host cities have been lighter than anticipated.

open image in gallery

Emiliano Becerra attended the World Cup final with his son in 2022 (AP)

In Uruguay, a nation renowned for its football passion, the president of the travel agency association reported arranging tour packages for approximately 3,000 fans, a figure considerably lower than for recent World Cups.

The tournament is proving financially inaccessible for many. While previous World Cups allowed fans to save for years to afford flights and match tickets, this year's prices have soared. Four years ago, lower-tier Category 3 tickets to group stage matches were $69. This year, Fifa has been selling them for as much as $265.

Unlike the last two tournaments in Russia and Qatar, which offered free transportation between host cities – albeit with much shorter distances between venues – the 16 stadiums across the US, Canada, and Mexico will require fans to cover significant travel costs.

Furthermore, Fifa has adopted a new resale policy, encouraging fans to resell tickets at any price they wish, with the governing body pocketing a 30% fee. Fifa, which did not respond to a request for comment, has previously defended ticket prices as a reflection of "record-breaking" demand.

Tomonori Akutsu, who lives outside Tokyo and is attending his sixth consecutive World Cup, expressed regret, stating he might have reconsidered if he had known the true cost.

He believes the US has been the "worst host”, demonstrating a "complete lack of hospitality in every aspect”, from ticket prices and an inflated resale market to expensive hotels and paid fan festivals. "Simply, my impression is ‘this is America,’ the ultimate capitalism," Akutsu said.

Becerra, the Argentine doctor, spent $1,100 to see Argentina defeat France in the 2022 final in Qatar.

Not this time.

This year, he paid even more — $1,200 — for a resale ticket to see Argentina’s match against low-ranked Jordan in Dallas.

"It’s absolutely crazy – it’s just a group stage match," said the 64-year-old ophthalmologist from Neuquén. He will head home before the knockout stage, explaining the prices are "just not possible for me."

The rising costs threaten to erode the World Cup's unique culture. Mike Wilson, the IT specialist from England, and his friends opted to skip the tournament, unable to justify the prices. He noted he had never spent more than $200 for a World Cup match, a sum that now barely secures a nosebleed seat for a group stage fixture between obscure teams. Instead, they booked a getaway to Portugal.

For Wilson, the World Cup's appeal lies in its atmosphere.

open image in gallery

Fifa has been criticized for ticket prices (Reuters)

"That’s the great thing about these tournaments: You’re sitting at a hostel, chatting with U.S. fans, and then you go to a bar up the road and there are loads of Chileans who have just taken over the place," Wilson said, recalling a memorable night in Johannesburg in 2010. "It’s stuff like that which makes the World Cup. But now they’ve just priced everyone out."

Mark Doidge, a sociologist at England’s Loughborough University, warned that the World Cup has long been defined by its traveling supporters, and rising costs risk alienating these passionate fans. "Most of those buying expensive tickets are not those passionate fans, but wealthy people paying for an experience," he said.

Despite the financial hurdles, some ardent fans remain undeterred. The Scots, eager to see their team compete in their first World Cup in 28 years, are a notable exception. Campbell Lewis and his friends began booking refundable accommodations across the US as soon as Scotland qualified last year, anticipating price hikes.

With tens of thousands of Scottish fans expected, tickets for their team's matches have been challenging to secure. However, as prices recently began to drop, Lewis purchased two tickets for Scotland’s second match for himself and his 10-year-old son.

They are still waiting until the final days to secure tickets for the team's opener against Haiti, where the cheapest resale ticket outside Boston exceeded $600 as of Thursday.

"For a lot of Scottish people of my generation, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lewis said. "We were all kids the last time we qualified. And even though the prices have gotten out of hand, there’s just this determination that we want to go."

Beyond cost, US entry requirements are also limiting international visitors. Unlike Russia in 2018, which waived visa requirements for ticketholders, and Qatar in 2022, which streamlined entry, many traveling to the US still face strict visa processes.

Until last month, ticket-holding fans from several African nations were even required to pay bonds as high as $15,000 to enter the country. Carlos Pera, president of Uruguay’s travel agency association, cited US visa requirements as a reason for fewer Uruguayans making the trip this year.

US officials have pushed back against concerns about an unwelcoming environment. The White House’s World Cup task force has highlighted efforts to prioritize visa interviews for fans with tickets.

Andrew Giuliani, who leads the task force, dismissed concerns that traditional traveling supporters might stay away.

"We want superfans and first-time visitors alike to know: America welcomes you to what will be the greatest World Cup yet," he said in a statement.

For some fans, however, concerns extend beyond visas and expenses. Bergakker, the 48-year-old Dutch financial controller living near Heidelberg, Germany, stated that Donald Trump’s "hostile" approach toward European allies has altered his view of traveling to the US.

Bergakker, who has attended two World Cups and four European Championships and is highly susceptible to "Oranjekoorts" – the fervent enthusiasm that grips Dutch fans – worries his criticism of Trump on social media could lead to problems at the border.

The White House rejected this concern, with a spokesperson stating Thursday that a Customs and Border Protection proposal to scrutinize World Cup visitors’ social media accounts was never enacted. Still, Bergakker affirmed that as long as Trump is president, "this Oranje fan won’t be visiting."