If you dont get tickets through FIFA or through USSF, will you still go to Germany for the WC? My wife and I discussed it, and we are going regardless. I am pretty sure we will be able to scalp tickets to the games we want to see, and since we already have our travel money saved up, there is no reason not to go and try our luck on the "black market."
No. Going to the prom without a date might be fun. You might pick up a hot chick. You could also end up back at the house by 8:30 that evening. All the hot chicks are taken.
Probably. I'm confident I could afford at least two US matches if I play my money right on the black market. Besides, being over there for the atmosphere and coverage of the WC is great.
Plans are still GO! The TST have to be based on the smallest stadium size and both teams using their allocation. Therefore with larger stadia and not all teams selling out, there will be many tickets available after the draw. On the down side, we will be closer to the actual dates, all teams and schedules will be known, so the demand for tickets will be HIGH! I'll plan to go, I still have friends to see, and places to visit. Must see Berlin München, Wien and Praha again!! Atmosphere should be great!
I plan to go regardless, but seriously hope I'm not heading eastbound across the Atlantic without U.S. tickets in hand.
As I understand it, tix will be issued with passport numbers on them so that scalping will be a near-impossibility. That said, it could still be fun to go even without attending the games in person (truth be told, I usually follow a game better on TV, though being at a WC match in person would be a priceless experience).
Very, very well said! Sitting at home watching World Cup '06 on a brand-new wide screen Plasma HDTV bought in replace of a travel package to Germany does not sound nearly as appealing as pushing in shoulder to shoulder with fellow soccer supporters and local footballer fans in a pub in the Fatherland because I couldn't get tickets to the US-Mexico WC re-match match in the stadium nextdoor. Not only that, I also hear (read somewhere) that some larger townships and cities will cart in projection equipment and will project *live* some of the better matches -- probably all the Germany matches -- in the town squares and public gathering spots. A festival for the ages. Oktoberfest times two-hundred. It cannot be missed!
Ok, now you're all making me feel bad. I just might have to reconsider. But getting my pragmatic brother to fly to the other side of the world just to sit in a pub is another matter.
Hello from Germany!!! I´m happy you think that Germany is great. Yes it is. And I hope many american fans come to Germany. I like your national team. So come many of you to us. Support your brilliant team! I´m from Leverkusen, not far away from Cologne, one hosting city. And Cologne is really great.! You will enjoy it. Even with no tickets. We will have bit screen. And atmosphere in Germany when we have any soccer game is GREAT!!! bltleo Germany
Hello bigmoderator. Yes come to Germany. You are right. Wien and Prague are definitely nice places and easy to visit if you are in Germany already. My mother is from Prague and it is really beautiful city. All german hosting cities : Cologne, Munich or Berlin are worth to see as well. So come to Germany !!! Even with no tickets! I´m going to post special post for eveyone who want to come to Germany. I already posted a thread about it. I ´m happy to help everyone who decide to come to Germany and give you some good tips how to spend time. So come over! your bltleo GERMANY
i went to france in 1998 without tickets, and had a great time at the games i managed to get into and watching other games there on tv. re getting tickets, this effort pre-dated the name/i.d. # on ticket issue, but as discussed elsewhere, that risk probably only falls into the 10% risk category. more importantly, even if you don't get a ticket (or even plan to try), i'd still encourage everyone to consider going. there will be places to watch the games and it will be loads of fun. if you haven't been before, there is something magical about the world cup that will infect the entire country. for this reason, the prom analogy isn't quite right, because you don't need the hot chick for this to be a blast. this going to be a great party with or without the girl, and if you end up scoring the tickets that will just be a bonus.
As long as I have the time and money (neither are certain right now) I'll be there regardless of tickets. Good karma and tickets coming my way, please!! Seriously, I went to meet a strange Yank who was going to sell me his spare tickets in Lyon. Once there I realized the meet point was past security, which you needed a ticket to get past. Oops! So we waited and waited and finally paid 300 francs for some last minute tickets. Turned out to be the BEST SEATS I'VE EVER HAD. About 15 rows up on the midfield stripe at Lyon Stade Gerland. Crazy atmosphere with everyone yelling against us. Sadly we played like sh&te that day, but it was still a fantastic experience and although the crowd was against us the people were still very friendly. Likewise, there was nothing like wandering around the streets of Daejon after losing to Poland but qualifying for the next round. One of the most surreal times of my life: strange Koreans coming up and hugging us, two beautiful Korean women gave me a carnation, crazy kids on motorbikes carrying the Korean and USA flag together and driving down the street doing wheelies. I'm sure that if you get there you can find some games to get into, watch some others on large screen tvs in crowds outside while drinking quality beer, and the atmosphere is only ever experienced there. Don't miss if you can find a way to be there!
It was a magical night! Korea's goal was to get to the second round & everyone was euphoric that they did so, went undefeated & won the group. The party went on all night. People were dragging us over to sit with them, offering us food & drinks, shaking hands, etc. We were also happy to advance & were willing to party with them! I'll be going to Germany. If I don't have tickets, I will try to scalp. Not every ticket will have someone's name/passport # on them. Some will have corporate or other names on them, or the FAs, etc.
Were you in that sports pub that was upstairs (drawing a blank on the name now) where we were singing and toasting each other until late? I have only a vague recollection of how I got from there back to my "love hotel room".
I was in a couple of upstairs places. Also spent a lot of time wandering (ok, stumbling) along the streets. The party zone I frequented was not far from the US hotel. Stayed at the Best Western in Yuseong. http://www.yuseong.daejeon.kr/english/1_about/join.htm
I already won some tickets at the lottery but, even w/out tickets I would go. I went to France w/out tickets and managed to see 5 games all the way to the quarter finals. You can always buy tickets on the black market in addition, there is no way they can physically check id at the stadium gates...that would be a logistical nightmare! Finally, there is nothing like the WC ambience!!!
I made the devil's pact- if tickets won, will go to Germany and spend the down payment on our future house on beer and brats. If no luck, will spend the equivalent on beer and brats at the local Hofbrauhaus rip-off. Anyone in southern California, feel free to join me daily at the Old World village in Huntington Beach, about a half-hour before the first match of every game day. Beer for breakfast...
I agree 100%. I don't remember much of the (gulp) Poland game, but I remember vividly the partying in the streets afterwards! There is nothing like being there! I decided the US TST watch was in vain so... I got some TST3 tickets for Ecuador!! My rational is that my wife and I made a pact back in '94 that we would go to every WC from then on, regardless of cost or location. When we were declined tickets in Phase 1, we decided that getting some tickets are better than gonig with no tickets at all. If Ecuador qualifies (3rd place in S. America right now), we'll have tickets. We can start planning and not worry about how US Soccer will be allocating their tickets. We're still going to try to get tickets for US games through US Soccer, but we now have our bases covered. Who knows, if Ecuador gets drawn with Germany or another big name European team, the tickets will be worth a lot of money. Possibly enough to pay off the rest of the trip. My guess is that most of the tickets beign sold are not to supporters of the country but to people who just want to see a WC game in person. The best game we went to in France was England vs Romania when we got put in the English section because FIFA doesn't know the difference between England the team and English the language
Nice move! But remember to support Ecuador if you attend. In WC'04, there were Ecuadoreans staying in my hotel in Seoul. When I asked why, since their team was in Japan, they replied that Japan was so expensive that it was cheaper to stay in Korea & fly over for the games!