Land of the Fee makes life difficult for African soccer fans

The United States seems determined to make life as difficult as possible for soccer fans from "unfriendly" countries hoping to attend the World Cup.

In addition to sky high ticket prices and inflated transport costs, there are also issues over visas and visa bonds.

Fans from five African nations this week got a potential $US15,000 saving - provided they are already in possession of match tickets.

The Trump administration confirmed that ticket-holding supporters from Algeria, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia will now be exempt from the outrageous requirement to post a bond before entering the "land of the fee".

The five were among 50 countries included in the requirement, which is intended to reduce visa overstays and was part of a wider immigration crackdown (apparently focused on black folk) by the White House.

But African fans planning a trip to a tournament spread across the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 still neede to have plenty of cash.

"We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets," US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar said in a media statement.

But in order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered with the online FIFA Pass system by April 15. If not, tough luck.

Travellers from Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal are targeted. Those who did not secure their visas before December will not be granted entry to the US.

BBC Sport Africa also reported that some Ghanaians have been denied US entry visas.

Image: Cote d'Ivoire fans

World Cup fans should prepare to be gouged in the US

Heading for the FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico? 

Be prepared to be ripped off by the rapacious capitalists in the US. 

Not only are tickets to matches absurdly expensive and hotels charging obscene sums for rooms, but you can also expect to be gouged on local transport costs. 

Take New Jersey’s NJ Transit - which is reportedly planning to charge more than $100 for return rail tickets from New York’s Pennsylvania Station to MetLife Stadium (above) for World Cup games, the New York Times reported this week.

That's a seven-fold increase over the the regular price. 

The 30km rail journey ordinarily costs $12.90 for a return ticket. The new "special event" pricing will reportedly not even feature concessions for seniors, children and disabled passengers. 

The World Cup host committee for New York City/New Jersey declined to comment to the newspaper, with the transportation plans expected to go live in the coming week.

A spokesperson for NJ Transit did say: “The ticket prices for match day travel have not been finalised and any reference to cost would be unconfirmed speculation.”

Democratic senator from New York Chuck Schumer has accused FIFA of a “shakedown” of US host cities . 

“FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” said Schumer.

“NJ Transit may be forced to charge fans an eye-popping $100-plus for a train ride that normally costs $13, because FIFA’s hosting agreement dumps added transportation and security costs onto states and cities while FIFA keeps the revenue from tickets, broadcasting, and concessions."

No one was smart enough to realise this when agreements were signed with FIFA.

In a news conference on Monday, Governor Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey said that since she took office early this year, she has sought to reduce the burden of World Cup costs away from taxpayers in her state. 

So the football fans must pay up.

“One of the key things I wanted to make sure is that we are not going to be paying for moving the people who are viewing the World Cup on the back of New Jersey taxpayers and New Jersey commuters," she said. "And so we worked together closely to make sure that that cost will not be borne by New Jerseyans.”

Massachusetts MBTA, meanwhile, is planning to raise its pricing for travel from Boston to Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium up from $20 return for an NFL game to more than $75 for World Cup matches. 

The US loves a gouge, in stark contrast to previous host nations. 

 During the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar, official ticket-holders received free access to Doha’s metro system throughout the tournament. Similarly, at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, match ticket holders also had access to free public transport on game day in host cities.