Probably the only time but when asked about the price of World Cup tickets he said “I wouldn’t pay that”.
It’s not going to happen but just 4 hours from me could have been Canada v Wales in the World Cup (Bosnia-Herzogavina now), I checked ticket prices before the playoffs, cheapest was $2000, to watch a football match! Some tickets were 40 grand on resale sites, I think those have been removed now, but cheapest I saw was now $1400
And we have stories of train rides to the stadium in the US costing $150 or park there for $200.
This is absolutely shameful and disgusting. I have watched every single World Cup since 1970. Fuck FIFA and fuck the World Cup, I will try to avoid every single game and I would be happy if nobody showed up for the games
Infantino and FIFA make Trump and the Republican Party look like reasonable, socially conscious caring human beings….
I tempted to say they make Blatter seem reasonable but I think all that’s happened is personal corruption has been replaced with political exploitation and overt greed.
It should be a fantastic festival of football for the whole world to turn up and enjoy, experiencing a bit of local culture at the same time, but unfortunately football at Premier League and international level ceased giving a shite about fans or supporters in the stadium a long time ago. This farcicle world cup is just the next, natural, extension of that. I’d love to think that the whole sorry event will be called out by the media as the dreadful, corrupt sportswashing event that it will be, but that won’t happen. The media, advertisers, and all their associated partners have much too much invested in it to rock the boat.
Agree generally, but a season ticket for Liverpool can cost around 700 quid, presumably for 19 (or more?) home games. On what planet do FIFA live to think charging more than that for a single run of the mill group game is acceptable?
The whole shebang is available free on demand on SBS in Oz, but I expect I’ll just watch the highlights like I do with the Premier League.
I won’t be watching any, but then I never do.
If any of the games are on during the UK daytime, that’s an excellent time to go for a dip in your local swimming pool. I think there were more lifeguards than swimmers when I last went.
When I lived in Aberystwyth in the early ’80s, the best time to go for a game of snooker at the Liberal Club was Saturday afternoon. Everyone else watching football in the pubs or at home, a choice of four full-size tables.
I boycotted the last one and have no regrets. Reprehensible stuff. This one, I won’t boycott but right now I have no enthusiasm for it.
Growing up I loved the World Cup more than almost anything, but this has long since ceased being that thing I loved.
Instead, it’s a vehicle for some of the worst people in the world to further their agendas, pissing all over the sport as they do so. To give but one recent example, it’s pathetic that they’ve been allowed to effectively have the games played in quarters without any material resistance.
The direction of travel has been entirely clear since Russia and Qatar popped out of the hat way back when; we’ve collectively allowed them to get away with their bullshit time and again, so it’ll only get worse from here.
I’m also inclined to believe that with an organising committee this corrupt and vested interests this powerful having their hand on the tiller it’s impossible to truly believe in the integrity of the tournament itself.
This “quarters” thing, it is probably essential when they are playing in 40 odd degrees heat (counting humidity) to have additional breaks to take on liquids. But the break should be a minute or two and they should stay on the pitch (preferably in the shade). I am not completely sure how this will be handled, if they go to the dressing rooms for 5 to 10 minutes then that is clearly a nonsense, but I won’t be watching anyway. I think a lot of the games are kicking off at peak heat times just for the European audience e.g. the game I mentioned above is kick-off 3pm on a workday, 8pm (1am UK time) would be better for the players and the TV audience here, but more profits in catering for the larger TV audience,
I don’t believe for a moment it’s about player wellbeing. It doesn’t take three minutes to hydrate, it just happens to be the length of the average ad break.
We’ve had World Cups in plenty of hot countries without three minute water breaks. It’s a financial decision based on the demands of US advertisers, and a further erosion of the game. Bigger goals next, no doubt.
Well it is at least partially about player wellbeing or it should be. Rugby has also introduced similar measures in extreme heat. I think in general nobody gave a shit about player wellbeing in previous times and the no. of days with extreme heat in a summer has generally increased everywhere compared to previous decades. However if they are playing in 20 degrees or something then clearly it isn’t necessary.
Fair enough. You have far more faith in the game’s governing authorities than I do.
See my original post. Not really, I agree that they will almost certainly use it for financial gain. But it can get very hot even in Canada! Probably less likely in Vancouver than Toronto in peak summer
I’ll watch the England games, I like this England team. June will be great, three England World Cup fixtures, three Test Matches.
I’m sure there are exceptions to the rule, but the less you pay for sport the more likely it is to be enjoyable. Follows with pop music too. People paying insane amounts for these games are themselves slightly unhinged, but then so are those forking out hundreds/thousands to see Quoasis and the like. If they wanted a hotel room/taxi ride from me, I’d fleece them, why not? They’re fleecable!
It’s not always easy to compare like for like, but I came across an ad in a football programme (about 1961, think it was West Ham or QPR) for 1966 World Cup tickets, and they were as cheap as chips. You got a booklet for all the potential England games, just paid five years in advance.
I’m pretty sure the same can be said for Dylan in 66. Ironic that when it was fantastic, it was affordable!
The irony is that the World Cup is now arguably a second rate competition in terms of quality. When I was younger, Brazil, Italy, Argentina etc were better than any club team. Nowadays, how many teams at the World Cup would match PSG or Bayern ?
Probably true. And in this World Cup there will be no less than 72 initial matches (by my reckoning) to reduce from 48 (!) teams to 32. Meaning probably very cautious defensive play in general.
Can’t be arsed, if football fans are daft enough to pay these prices that’s their choice.
Infantino is a bent bastard, which is compulsory if you are head of FIFA.
I won’t be watching one second of this debacle and that’s coming from someone who watched 99% of all home matches and at least 50% of away matches played by my favourite team for over 35 years. I only stopped when I realised I enjoyed going to gigs more.
I’ll watch the England games and the final assuming they’re not on at some ridiculous time. I wouldn’t dream of going to this tournament given the cynical pricing. Stories abound, such as one stadium where you have to take their bus to the ground from the carpark, the best buy ticket being for a family at $140 or something. FIFA and Trump are a marriage made in heaven, cynical, grasping money grubbing bastards.
PS I’ve had great holidays in the US but nothing could persuade me to go there now. He’s even ruined the national parks by insisting his face is on every pass. People started putting stickers on to cover it up so now if it’s not visible the pass is invalid.
Is that at the stadium built in the middle of a swamp, so there is no other way to get there apart from the bus and the even more expensive train service.
I think that’s the one.
How much?
How many games are there? How many stadium seats are there to fill?
Surely this is an impossible situation to maintain. Far too many are priced out by this for it ever to be a success, financially and reputationally. The world seems to be in a tailspin at the moment and no-one with sense has the balls or the influence to pull the levers back. This isn’t helping.
Says man who won’t be watching anyway, has no idea who won the last one and still has to remind himself Gordon Banks won’t be in goal anymore.
I loved football when I was a kid but that got knocked out of me at secondary school by the games teachers. They were only really interested in the pretty boys with the branded boots who could play and were on the school team. I grew to hate games lessons and only really enjoyed cross country running but then the skateboard craze hit the UK and I found my one true love. I’m no Tony Hawk (Tony Alva, if you started when I did) and whatever tricks I could do in my youth are long gone but that love continues while football remains dead to me. Boggles my mind what people pay to watch it live or on TV and of course, I have no interest in this World Cup. Blame Mr Neal.
Have just got back home from a mini tour of Lincolnshire skateparks. Reform had big wins round these parts yesterday and I definitely needed to clear my head and if nothing else skateboarding can focus the mind. Am now currently nursing a twisted knee and a skinned elbow, the sort of injury that would kill a modern footballer half my age*!
*63 if you’re asking 🙂
I agree about the games teachers, but the boys who could play and were in the school team were anything but pretty.
Someone had to pay for Infantino’s ridiculous award of a peace prize to his buddy Trump.
Truly vomit inducing.
This is how I remember football at school avoiding the ball at every opportunity. Keep to the back as much as possible never engage with the ball.
https://flic.kr/p/2sbWgrh
Cheeky bugger. I was pretty and in the team (but no fancy boots).
Adopts Four Yorkshireman position “You were lucky”
No football in a Welsh Grammar School/Comprehensive: rugby or cross country only. I did a bit of both.
Absolutely love this – good for you dude! You must have shins of iron by this stage.
I dunno – it always seems to happen. I can’t recall a single tournament where tickets are surprisingly affordable. Some people I know went to France 98 on a whim, just to be around the tournament with no expectation of match tickets – but they found it relatively easy to get reasonably priced tickets on the day and went to several games.
Ticket prices are 4 to 10 times higher than the previous World Cup. e.g. cheapest ticket for the final is $2000 compared to $200 last time. That’s without considering dynamic pricing and the resale market which FIFA seems to encourage. It’s pure unadulterated greed. They seem to have thought about prices at one US sporting event the SuperBowl and applied it to the whole tournament
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0p2532xn4o