- Insanely Low Ticket Prices
Before heading Down Under, the US Women’s National Team held a sendoff game in San Jose. We bought tickets to attend that game and had insider benefits which allowed us to purchase them in a presale. Even then, the tickets were at a low $92.00, with an average ticket price of $120.00. When we resold one of our tickets nearer to the game, the average price nearly doubled.
When we bought our tickets for the World Cup, we thought we were getting scammed by the ticket prices which were from $10-$100 throughout the tournament. These prices are a game changer. In the US, going to a game is a huge expense where the cost of parking is as much as a World Cup ticket. If the cost is putting you back that much, the average person will be sparing in the games they watch.
I truly believe the affordable nature of the tickets made this World Cup more accessible to fans, and allowed for the huge turnout of Australians that brought about such Matilda support. The fact is simply that US soccer prices out so many fans and if we are to see the 2027 Women’s World Cup group hosted with the US, Mexico, and Canada, I hope they can keep the spirit of accessibility alive.
- Public Transportation As the Default
I have discussed the ticket prices already, but something I have not mentioned was that within the cost we paid, public transport was included. At a place like Stadium Australia in Sydney, where attendance rises to over 70,000 people, there are several road closures to manage such a crowd. Therefore, they encourage the use of trains and buses by including it in the ticket cost.
We were skeptical about how this would work, but when we entered the station and showed security our ticket, they promptly let us in. After that, we followed seas of Australian fans to find the correct train. This was aided by lots of helpful staff, several announcements on the loudspeaker, and frequent trains every 2-5 minutes.
The experience of traveling with a sea of fans was amazing. The train took us right to the stadium where we immediately walked into the loud fanfare. The chairs in the train were even flippable to accommodate either a 2 seater or a group 4 seater if you wanted to turn the chairs to face each other.
- The Live Experience
Since I couldn’t watch the US, the next best thing was getting to watch Australia in Australia, especially in the biggest stadium this World Cup had: Stadium Australia. On our way to the stadium, the iconic Sydney Opera House was lit up in the green and yellow Matilda colors.
The atmosphere of 75,000 with their utmost excitement and chatter was electric. Every forward play had Australians on their feet screaming, and the pinnacle of noise came when Sam Kerr, the Australian star and captain, came on after nursing a calf injury in the group stage.
A lot of the time I’d prefer to watch a game on TV so I can have the comfort of my home and the replays, however, this experience made me remember why we watch games live.
- A Place to Bring Together the World Cup Community
This last one was the most unexpected but one of the best things. Near our hotel in Sydney, Tumbalong Park was hosting the Fifa Fan Festival. I’d never been to a watch party before so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was greeted by another absolutely amazing atmosphere.
Large screens were stationed up on the front stage with tons of food booths, a Fifa store, and replica balls to pose with and take photos. There was free entry and it was open throughout the time there was a game so you could come in and out to watch.
We watched the entirety of the Sweden vs. USA game and it was especially evident during the penalty shootout that I was around a group of invested fans who would cheer and fall silent with the tempo of the game— something I’ve always wanted to have.
