The obsession with travel costs during the World Cup season.

TPO - A survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association shows that about 80% of hotels in the host cities have lower bookings than initially predicted. The tournament's vast scale means fans have to travel much further and at significantly higher costs compared to previous World Cups.

The most inaccessible World Cup

As the United States prepares to host the 2026 World Cup, fans will not only face the high cost of tickets, flights, and hotels, but also significant additional expenses for transportation to the stadiums. Many argue that this represents a new financial burden for spectators, given the tournament's large scale and the less-than-ideal public transportation system in the U.S.

In New Jersey, a round-trip train ticket to MetLife Stadium is priced at $98, while in Massachusetts it's $80. This is significantly higher than the typical cost for NFL (National Football League) fans.

The expanded tournament, now involving three countries, is forcing fans to face higher airfare prices. Photo: Getty Images.

According to the Independent, local officials insist the increased fees are intended to cover security costs and expand transport services without burdening taxpayers. However, many fans feel they are paying too much, complaining that this is the most inaccessible World Cup ever.

Rory Phillips-Hunter, 37, a service worker from northern England and a member of the Scottish fan group Tartan Army, called the preparations for this World Cup "a nightmare from start to finish".

Unable to find a suitable way to travel the approximately 40 km distance from Providence (Rhode Island) to Foxborough (Massachusetts), where the Scotland team played their first two matches, Phillips-Hunter and the other members hired a school bus themselves.

At a cost of around $50 per person, the group arranged for about 20 buses to transport nearly 1,000 fans to each game, even with police escorts. The total cost was just over half the $95 per person price proposed by the local authorities, saving the group over $85,000.

"What I find puzzling is that a group of Scots from across the ocean could organize a much cheaper transportation solution than what the local authorities offered," Phillips-Hunter said.

Hotel bookings remain low even as the tournament approaches its opening date. Photo: Reuters.

Meanwhile, some other host cities have more favorable conditions. Atlanta, Houston, and Seattle have stadiums that are directly connected to the metropolitan rail network, so passengers only have to pay the standard fare.

In Miami, the authorities will arrange free shuttle buses to Hard Rock Stadium. Philadelphia plans to offer free rides from the stadium to the city center with the help of Airbnb. Kansas City is implementing a bus service for $15.

According to organizers, security requirements, broadcast areas, and VIP spaces at the World Cup will significantly restrict parking, forcing many spectators to use public transport.

David Gogishvili, a senior researcher at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), argues that FIFA has long shifted the majority of its organizing costs to the host nations. The difference in the US is that state and local governments are more independent and are not willing to pay on behalf of FIFA.

He emphasized that these expenses should be borne by FIFA. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill also called on FIFA to help cover transportation costs for fans.

FIFA countered, stating that no global event has ever compelled the organization to pay such fees. FIFA also stated that initial agreements with host cities required free transportation for fans, but these were later modified to allow localities to charge based on actual costs.

Hotel rooms and train tickets are too expensive.

Concerns about transportation costs also arose as many host cities failed to meet hotel booking expectations ahead of the World Cup. A 2022 study co-conducted by Gogishvili found that almost every World Cup from 1966 to 2018 recorded a financial deficit.

A survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association showed that approximately 80% of hotels in the host cities had lower bookings than initially predicted. The tournament's vast scale, spanning from Vancouver to Boston and Mexico City, meant fans had to travel much further and at significantly higher costs than in previous World Cups.

Fans are having difficulty finding suitable transportation options to the stadium. Photo: AP.

Yonah Freemark, a transportation expert at the Urban Institute in Washington, noted that fans from Europe and Asia will have to get used to a less developed but more expensive public transportation system than they are accustomed to.

He argued that the train fares to the games in New Jersey and Massachusetts were too high, and warned that wait times and accessibility to transportation might not meet international travelers' expectations.

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Source: https://tienphong.vn/am-anh-chi-phi-du-lich-mua-world-cup-post1848240.tpo