Hyperinflated prices for those attending matches at the stadium in New Jersey, USA, were the target of international criticism.
The price for train travel rose by more than 1,100%. Faced with criticism for the high prices of transport for the public at this year’s World Cup, the Germany national team players decided to cover the costs for some of the fans.
According to the German press, a draw was announced last week for 600 members of the German team’s fan club who will watch the match against Ecuador in New Jersey, USA. It will be Germany’s third game in the group stage.
The initiative would have come from the players themselves, with support from the German Football Federation, after the price of the train journey from New York to the stadium came to light.
The cost reached US$150 (around R$778), instead of the approximately US$13 (R$67.4) normally charged.
Partial retreat
After protests from fans, organizers partially backed down and set a “more reasonable” fee of US$98 (R$508.3). The bus that takes you to the stadium should now cost US$20 (R$103.7) instead of the US$80 (R$415) previously expected.
The problem is repeated elsewhere in the USA. Those who go by car also pay a lot: parking costs from US$75 to US$300 (R$389 to R$1,500), depending on the game.
This is one of several controversies surrounding the mega sporting event, which begins this Thursday (11) with the match between Mexico and South Africa, in Mexico City.
Another controversial topic was ticket prices, which reached thousands of dollars as a result of the dynamic pricing policy introduced by FIFA.
