Travel/Tickets: USA versus Guatemala in Guatemala City 6/12/2012

Viewing party at the hotel! Whose got the best TV?

 

My dad has work in Guatemala in June. Would like to join him, and catch this game, but not sure yet.

 

Do it!

It's going to be a sweet party.


You said you're going to go back to Miami, we are flying directly from Miami the day after the Tampa game to Guat.

 

I have been looking at the Honduras game against Panama. I'd be interested in making the June 8th game in Honduras, then heading to Guatemala. I asked my dad who does summer work in Central America about this, and he said its an option, but the major concern is safety. Is anyone on this board doing that trip? Also, as far as going to the Guatemala game with a USA jersey on, I heard thats that a good idea, unless you want trouble.

 

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD

I'm still considering this trip, since I make the trek before in '08. Might not make it this time, but I thought it'd be helpful to share my experiences from that trip:

I went with a friend of mine, staying at the Intercontinental in the Zona Viva. Great hotel, and it just so happened that it was US Soccer's hotel. The area around the Zona Viva is very nice. Well-patrolled. But it does throw you to see guys with big guns guarding everything. Really nice bars and restaurants. The local beer, Gayo, is cheap and tasty. The hotel has a shuttle to and from the airport. Like in most of Central America, being driven around in Guatemala is terrifying. People drive like they have a death wish.

Now four years ago, we were able to buy tickets through the Federation and pick them up at the team hotel. (This year, the Fed is saying they won't have tickets available. I'd like to hear more about tix before I commit to going this time.)

There was a group of about 10-15 of us from BigSoccer who agreed to meet up when we got in. At the hotel, we arranged for a van to take us to the game and pick us up. It was about $25 total.

So, we head to the game about 4 hours before kickoff and settle on a place to meet the van after the game. Once we are dropped off, we find ourselves in the middle of a GIANT Guatemalan tailgate party. A sea of blue jerseys. We are mostly wearing red and carrying our USA flags. We are greeted with mostly smiles and light-hearted banter. The Guatemalans who speak English strike up a conversation with us.

There are venders selling beer everywhere. Most are kids with buckets of chilled beer, the prices listed on their tshirts. Stands alongside the road grill up food (although you are taking your stomach's health into your own hands.)

Getting into the stadium was a bit of an ordeal. First, they won't let you bring in any change. They are afraid you will throw it at the pitch. So, leave any back at the hotel. Once inside, we struggle to find our section, but some nice security supervisor eventually got us there.

Hours before the game, the stadium was already buzzing like a bee hive. Insane. Again, most folks were friendly. We were separate from other fans by a big fence to one side and some young stewards along a rope line. If things got ugly, I thought before the game, these stewards weren't going to stop anyone.

At one point, fans crawled on the fence between sections and were spitting at US fans, but riot police with batons came in and scraped them off. At another point during the game, one drunk USA fan who spoke just enough Spanish to be dangerous, made a crack across the rope line about one Guatemalan fan's mom. (Pro tip: Don't make fun of someone's mother in Latin countries.) Things almost got ugly but cool heads on both sides of the rope line diffused the situation before any blows were thrown.

After the match -- we won 1-0! -- fan threw some chicken bones and other objects into our section, but nothing like being in Mexico City. Some heated words were also hurled across the rope line and the situation got a little tense. Riot police, a little slow to react at first, came and surrounded the US fans. They eventually decided -- rather than escort us out the front door -- to take us down on the field and out the back entrance.

So, we actually hung out on the field for a bit -- which was kind of cool. Then, we got to sit out behind the stadium. We sent a couple of people out to fetch our van back to the hotel, but they came back saying the van was gone. So, as we pondered what to do next, the US players came out and boarded their bus. We got to cheer them, and some even signed a few autographs.

Someone from our group who knew some folks in US Soccer convinced them send one of their buses back for us. So, it took a couple of hours of waiting but finally we were back safely in the Zona Viva.

So, for those of you planning this trip, the two biggest hurdles seem to be tickets and transportation to and from the game. It's my understanding Mateo Flores is not an area you want to wander around in after the game. Especially at night. Especially wearing a USA jersey.

All-in-all, we had a blast in Guatemala. In the days following the game, we spent a day in Antigua and another day hiking up the volcano, Pacaya.

Maybe I'l see you there in a couple of weeks.

 

PLEASE message me if you are making the trip to Honduras to catch the Honduras / Panama game and then heading to Guatemala for the USA game after!

 

Hey all, first post here. Actually ran across the forum on accident looking for more info on the game!

i'm moving to guatemala on June 9th to work for a human rights organization, but will have a few weeks of language school before work starts and CANNOT miss this game! I'll be staying in quetzaltenango (xela), but would be willing to make the trip down to the capital for the game. has there been any confirmation that the game will be in Guatemala city? can't find anything on-line, and someone here mentioned the game might be in Quetzaltenango a few pages ago... which would be much, much nicer IMO. The capital is not a great place to hang out. It's a stretch, but if anyone will be in quetzaltenango before the game let me know and we can head down to the capital together (assuming thats wehre the game will be).

also, i've lived in guate before, and would be happy to give advice to anyone who will be making the trip down about touring around the country after the game or whatever else!

 

Game is in Guatemala City.

 

Yes it is, an the Capital IS a great place to hang out. Not sure WTF this guy is talking about.

 

Some love Guate, others aren't as crazy about it. I have freinds on both sides of the aisle. Hopefully a great experience at the game will help to change my mind!

 

disappointing from USSF on this one.....

 

i dont know all the political machinations and am certain that the Guatemalan Fed isnt making it easy but the USSF does carry a lot of weight in CONCACAF and should be able to at least get its supporters a small allocation of tickets for a world cup qualifier

 

We need to plan on a "worst case scenario" if the AO can't get supporter's tickets. Might be a good idea to create a www.todoticket.com just in case they end up selling tickets for the game as scalping tickets for the game is not a real option...

Thought anybody?

 

here's my gut instinct...(based on absolute zero facts). www.todoticket.com is the authorized seller of game tix, per the guate fed, and when they go onsale in a few weeks they will have a drop-down selection box for away/visiting fans. we will select from there and we will all be sitting together. I have faith, not sure why..

and when it works like i imagine, they have a pickup kiosk box in zone 10/viva at the eskala roosevelt mall.

 

and just saw this as well, update from AO. confirming the website as our only solution, have faith boys. also meeting spot before game. hello gallo, nice to drink you.

http://www.theamericanoutlaws.com/events/usmnt-vs-guatemala-away-61212

 

Lame

But thanks gorevs for the work on this.

 

Just a thought: Has anyone tried calling the hotel concierge to ask about match tickets? For a (hopefully slight) mark-up, they might be able to grease the wheels with the Guate Federation and get you guys tickets in the right section. Might be worth a shot.

 

The Barcelo is next to the airport. Not walking distance.

 

Correct... just over a 2 mile walk

 

on google maps i saw a Barcelo at this address:

Barcelo Guatemala City

7A Avenida 22 Calle, Guatemala City 01009, Guatemala

which would be walking distance. perhaps thats a different hotel? either way, seems a good place to meet....

i think im getting into Guate the morning of the match so will need to collect tickets, eat some pepian de indio, drink some gallo, meet up and get to the match...cant wait

 

The Barcelo is just across the street from the Westin. 3.7 k from the stadium.

 

If theres no away tickets available, why don't US fans buy fans in the most expensive zone of the stadium, and meet there? I attended a World Cup qualifier in Ecuador, and did this and it worked out great. From past photos / videos, my guess is 40-60 US fans or am I way off?