If you are in Cologne anyway just come to the pre-game or the Tuesday night pre-party and ask around. Best bet is to ask the official AO reps at those events as they often have a line on spares.
I am an American Expat living in Dusseldorf and we have a bus of about 40 USA fans, mostly families coming. All with tickets in the Fan section. I know there are some extra tickets floating around. I would just go to where the ticket pick ups are and see what you can find.
One thing to note (and I would never prior to Friday's game have thought it necessary to say given how well club supporters groups seem to have educated people since the late 90s) but for people with tickets in the supporters section please be aware that (i) despite what your ticket may say, supporters sections are generally treated as GA in order to try, among other things, to properly spread out the folks leading and co-ordinating chants, (ii) standing is the norm, if you intend to sit, be aware that folks will not necessarily be sitting in front of you and will not take kindly to being asked to sit down; if you want to sit, generally move higher in the sections above those standing -they are the norm, not you and (iii) if you are bringing small children be aware that strong language and not sober people will be in the section with you; though everyone will be kind/cool with kids in the area, it is not a no cursing zone. I bring this up as with away supporters sections in Europe, AO style supporters groups get co-mingled with local expats who aren't necessarily part of the supporters culture. I have no problem with how anyone wants to support the US and am excited to have as many people coming as possible ( I've been in Sarajevo where there were only four of us and that is less than fun-though its own cool experience). However, please respect that this is still largely a supporters group culture and either join in or work around it. My reason for writing what hopefully is obvious and unnecessary is that I nearly got kicked out of the stadium Friday because a fan in attendance with s third row ticket insisted I sit down in front of him and would not move elsewhere and then complained to security when I suggested that was out of line with the fact that three-quarters of the fans in our sections were standing the 90. (Amusingly, this gentleman left the match when we were down 3-1 and so managed to miss one of the most exciting matches I've been to.) I doubt anyone in this thread needs the reminder, but not sure how else to spread the word so posting here.
Hi. I have an extra ticket for the match in Cologne tomorrow if anyone is looking. Also, does anyone know which hotel the team is staying in?
So I agree with most of what you say, but strong disagree on the general admission status. The ticket is what it is. You're complaining about someone not "working around" something that's to your liking, but if you want it to be GA, you and your crew had better work with the USSF to make it that way, because I'm not going to sit in a worse seat than is assigned to me. You can "work around it". This isn't largely a supporters group culture. It's a soccer game. I'm there to see a soccer game, priority #1. I'll join in on the singing or the chants, but I'm always annoyed by the self importance that Sam's Army, American Outlaws et all feel. In talking to a number of them at the last two Azteca trips, roughly a third were pretty ignorant to the game, but really liked the fratastic environment that AO provides. I was talking to a douchey capo at the Azteca trip in 2013, and he didn't even know who Marquez or Giovanni Dos Santos were. While there are plenty of great fans within the groups, there are a decent number who are just there to sing songs and show off their false jingoism. Also, for God's sake, if you're wearing an American flag as a cape or anything else, DO NOT LET IT TOUCH THE GROUND. DON'T EVER LET IT TOUCH THE GROUND! So to reiterate, I completely disagree that the point of a game is a supporters group experience. If your priority is to sing songs and chant, find a church or a choir. If you don't have friends and want to pretend you do, join a kickball league. The point of a USMNT game is, and always will be, to watch the freaking game and support the national team. Everything else is secondary. As long as they're supporting the US, I don't care if they're a congressman or a capo. I've always been a fan of being courteous and going with the flow, be it standing up or sitting down, or the level of swearing. Until the USSF makes you the director of ticketing and fan experience, I would recommend that you learn to "deal with it" when people enjoy the game differently, because your house rules aren't actually rules... (As for the Amsterdam game itself, I have no complaints whatsoever. I thought fans on both sides were appropriately friendly and into the game. While it didn't have the Azteca like intensity, I was never expecting it to. It was a sharp contrast to Saturday when I was sitting with the Drughis ultras in the Juventus section when a guy two rows behind me indicated that he didn't appreciate the guy behind me waving his flag, and got decked for that complaint.)
On a side note, the Dutch national team is a really cool group of guys. My friend and I were getting back from an early dinner, and we run into Memphis Depay in the parking lot of our hotel (the Hilton on the canal), say hi, and congratulate him on his ManU deal. We step into the hotel, and we run into Guus Hiddink, and I ask him if Klaas Jan Huntelaar was starting. He asks why, and I explain to him that I'm a huge Ajax fan, and Huntelaar threw me his jersey at the World Cup. Hiddink laughs, and he was like, "I know where he is. You should go meet him." http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/what-was-your-best-memory-of-the-2014-world-cup.2008328/ We go where Hiddink indicates, and it's Huntelaar and Wesley Sneijder, and they chatted with us for a few minutes before they had to go to a team dinner. Incredibly gracious guys. I told Sneijder that he needs to come back for another two years at Galatasaray.
@drupha Sneijder is very cool guy,in the field of the field. wonderful personality. He will continue with his current club, after the NT game week, Lions Galatasaray will extend his contract they say 3 more years.(he have one more year left, so,otomaticaly in total 4 upcoming years sneijder with lions jersey). ps; you should watch his solo performance at the league title celebration<>(title celebrations party video)… He were once again amazing in Galatasaray jersey this season. video of his celebration party is totally hilarious. regards,
Sort of related note, anyone have a link to a decent live feed? I tried that frontrow site but it's a mess of popups. Thanks!
For those that went, how was it? How were you guys treated during and after the game? Thanks for any trip reports, photos and/or videos
Holland was very chill. Everyone I interacted with was very cordial. We took the train to/from the stadium. I think most people went straight to their seats because it was raining out.
Lots more Americans in Cologne. May have been as many as 1.5-2k. I think only 300-400 in Amsterdam. Watching both games given the outcome was awesome! Ran into Mix at DUS airport this morning