World Cup Fans Spend Up to $150K on Matches at MetLife Stadium
Soccer fans attending World Cup games near New York shared wildly varying budgets, from $2,500 to $150,000, all saying the experience was worth it.
Soccer fans making their way to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium told CNBC Make It they were prepared to spend anywhere from $2,500 to a staggering $150,000 to attend games — and nearly all of them said the cost was justified. The fans were interviewed outside New York's Penn Station as they headed toward the venue, offering a rare on-the-ground look at the financial commitment World Cup attendance demands in 2025.
The wide spending range reflects the dramatically different ways fans approach the tournament, from budget-conscious travelers who carefully planned affordable trips to big spenders who spared no expense on premium tickets, travel packages, and accommodations in one of the world's most expensive cities. What united them was an unwavering conviction that witnessing the world's most-watched sporting event live was priceless, regardless of what their wallets said.
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The interviews underscore just how powerful the World Cup's draw remains for global soccer supporters, many of whom save for years or travel internationally to attend even a single match. With the tournament hosted across multiple U.S. cities, fans are contending not only with ticket prices but also with hotel costs, transportation, food, and merchandise in markets where expenses add up fast.
The anecdotal spending figures also hint at a broader economic windfall for host cities like New York, where hospitality, retail, and transit sectors stand to benefit significantly from the influx of international visitors. Economists and city officials have closely watched fan spending patterns as a measure of the tournament's local impact.
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