World Cup fans spent anywhere from $2,500 to $150,000 to see matches
Eye-watering World Cup prices haven’t stopped football fans everywhere from opening their wallets.
As of July 2, some of the best resale seats for major playoff games were listed on StubHub for around $20,000. Many high-end resale chairs were listed for around $5,000.
But tickets are only a fraction of the cost. When you add in flight tickets, hotels, rental cars, meals, and merchandise, the cost of attending a tournament can cost thousands of dollars.
Soccer fans attending World Cup games at MetLife Stadium, outside New York’s Penn Station, tell CNBC Make It they expect to spend anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $150,000 to attend the World Cup. Despite the price tag, none said they regretted the expense.
A journey across countries
Hailing from England, Tony Richardson and his son spent several weeks traveling around the United States, planning their holidays around World Cup matches.
Richardson says they booked their flights early and paid about $2,000 for airfare. They also spent nearly $1,000 per ticket and thousands more on rental cars and hotels while traveling across the country.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey,” Richardson tells CNBC Make It.
Their travel schedule took them from Orlando and Daytona Beach to Dallas for a game; There were stops in New Orleans, Graceland in Memphis and Niagara Falls before England’s match against Ghana in Boston. New York was the last stop.
“We had a great time,” Richardson says. “The people were absolutely wonderful. It really changed my perception of the United States. Everyone was so friendly.”
One last World Cup before the baby comes
Andrew Hall, a New Yorker and self-described “die-hard football fan,” didn’t have to pay for flights or hotels.
Instead, he spent money on FIFA hospitality packages, which are a premium alternative to standard tickets, guaranteeing access to the matches he wants and including food, drinks and venue access. He says he pays about $2,000 per ticket and expects to spend more than $12,000 for five games.
“My wife kind of gave me the blessing because she was pregnant,” Andrew told CNBC Make It. “He said, ‘This is my gift to you. Please spend whatever you want to spend.'”
While his wife accompanied him in two matches, his friends accompanied him in the other three matches.
Andrew said he decided to enter the tournament immediately after New York was announced as the host city, setting reminders for ticket sales and New Jersey Transit reservations so he could be first in line.
“Would I do this again? Absolutely,” says Hall. “I wish the World Cup was held every year.”
Chasing the World Cup
Rachel and Nigel Vinecombe expect to spend about $150,000 to attend 10 World Cup matches, making them the biggest spenders CNBC Make It spoke to.
They say about $100,000 of that was for FIFA ticket packages, while the rest of their expenses went to travel, accommodation and other expenses. Their schedule includes eight games in New Jersey, as well as a quarterfinal in Miami and a semifinal in Atlanta.
The couple, who split their time between Israel and Australia, flew from Tel Aviv for the tournament.
“This is my fifth World Cup,” says Nigel. “I’m getting a much better carnival experience with the fans than the club games. It’s something I don’t want to miss.”
Spending doesn’t end when the tournament ends. The Vinecombes are already planning to qualify for the next World Cup, which will be hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
“And it’s so worth it,” says Rachel. “We’ll do it again.”
Savings for years
Miguel Macias plans to spend about $2,500 during his trip to New York, including $700 for game tickets, $500 for flights and about $1,200 for hotels.
The Guadalajara, Mexico, resident had previously attended a World Cup match in Mexico City, where he spent nearly $1,500, including on an Airbnb.
“It’s more like a celebration with your people,” Macias told CNBC Make It. “This is a great experience.”
Macias says he spent four years saving up cash for the trip.
“I saved for years for this experience and it is 100% worth it,” he says.
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