Thanks ACGreen, good advice. After taking it into consideration, I'm thinking we'll skip out on Salvador. Seems a bit out of the way and there was only one match there that fit our itinerary anyway. So here's the plan: match #7 in Fortaleza, #14 and #22 in Natal, and #34 and #45 in Recife. Are there any advantages to flying into or out of one airport vs another?
Not really. One idea would be to focus on spending most of your down time in or around Natal. I actually spent my honeymoon in July there with 40 gringo friends (over a decade ago). Lots of great beaches, all types of accommodation options from resorts to condo - type places. Check out some of the outdoor options around town too from Ski-bunda to Praia da Pipa. I think they just built a new airport too. And due to its status as a domestic tourist attraction, it will have lots of connections to other cities.
Looking at the match schedule, is it safe to assume that team A1 is Brazil? Likewise, I would imagine that team B1, C1, etc are the "highest ranked" or group leaders.
yes, a1 is brazil. the others are from the different pods. pods are arranged with some logic around FIFA region and then by Fifa Rank. So that each group has and equal #'s of accounts from each region. but yes, brazil is A1.
After last night's game, I'm excited for Brazil. I started dipping my toe into the water by reading this thread and doing other internet research. People were saying that flights should be booked a year in advance (which is today!) but on American's and United's sites, they're not even for sale. Is this normal?
I am no expert at all on international travel but I do know that Southwest JUST started selling tickets for this fall domestically. My big concern with flights is the upcoming merger of US Airways and American. I have a fairly significant FF account with US Airways that would afford me to travel free round trip on business class. I'm totally waiting to get boned when they announce how the two frequent flier accounts will merge.
Instead of "should be booked a year out" really means that they "can" be booked up to a year in advance. For example, American Air can book out to May 9, 2014. So you'll need to wait about another month to get the june 12th. Pretty typical. Southwest is different but not applicable in this situation. Pricing is determined by a ton of factors, theres all sorts of urban myths. Its a mixture of seat availability within each fare class, and then market price from competitive airlines. It's fluid and changes daily/weekly. Rule of thumb is to book early as possible, but that just rule of thumb. Prices will go up and down over the course of the next year. Best of luck...see ya down there.
Question: What is the best way to buy tickets to sit with US supporters? I'm planning on going down so Brasil solo and stay with friends in Rio. However, I want to travel to see US games if at all possible. The problem is, I don't want to sit alone in some neutral section. That's boring. Do you think groups like AO will have an allocation of tickets I can buy from?
Nope. FIFA does not allow that. Even with AO's WC travel package, it doesn't include tickets to the game. Its just a luck of the draw. (for where you sit/who you sit next to)
I see. I found this post from the US Supporters Club for WC10: http://www.ussoccer.com/news/tickets/2009/initial-details-for-2010-world-cup-tickets.aspx So even though they got priority access to tickets (post-US qualification), the club isn't allocated a section. Where you sit is up to Fifa's system.
There are 2 options to sitting with US Supporters (each with 3 subcategories). - FIFA lottery: Select the TST (team specific tix), USA of course. Lottery is August 20th, details avail on July 1st. http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/index.html - USSoccer Supporters Club: Again its a FiFA driven process, but tix allocated to each federation, 12% of that specific game's stadium capacity. These will be available after the draw in december, and finalized around first of the year. Also a lottery but controlled by the USSC. Within each option above you can select between 3 tiers of seats. Sidelines, corners, endlines. So there ends up with 6 different sections of supporters, all of which are die-hard supporters.
Adding to the excitement in Brazil...protests http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/w...-protests-in-brazils-largest-cities.html?_r=1&
I would be a pissed off citizen as well if I knew that a company like FIFA doesn't have to pay a single tax, while the country is shelling out BILLIONS just to host a couple of soccer tournaments. Random question: Does the IOC pay taxes in host countries?
What could go wrong? http://news.yahoo.com/100k-protesters-flood-brazilian-streets-protest-062415701.html
I live in SP and can tell you, that what we are seeing is akin to the Occupy Wall St. movement. People are pissed that the politicians are out of touch and indiscriminately act in their own interests. The cost of the WC is 2 times projected, but that original price included massive infrastructure spending that would be the legacy of the cup. That money has "disappeared" and some people are expressing their righteous indignation now that they realize they have been lied to. Again. Remember, this is a country with US / EU tax levels but 3rd world services rendered in return. The protests have been peaceful (mostly), but there are some miscreants (not politically inclined) that are using the demonstrations as cover for looting. This has been largely isolated, and until now has taken place after the "legitimate" demonstrations have taken place. There will likely be demonstrations against the WC just as there are today against Confed Cup. But I can guarantee that they will not be a danger to actual international fans. This is about Brazilians and their government. There have been no acts (to my knowledge) targeting people or homes, hotels, etc. This is coming from a population that is soccer mad - now they are plain old mad in addition. All of this being said, Brazil is a place where anything can happen - good or bad.
Haven't scanned through this thread...but have tickets gone on sale yet? And heard from a friend most hotels have already been booked!
Putting 2 seconds of effort you would have found this 3 posts above yours... Lottery is August 20th, details avail on July 1st. http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/index.html
If you guys haven't already discovered it, there is a VERY informative thread at TripAdvisor that answers most of your questions: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...0-World_Cup_2014_I_know_its_early-Brazil.html I'm a single and young guy from San Diego who is going for sure, and it looks like I'm by myself. I went with AO to Jamaica and had a blast, and I'm on the waiting list as well for AO, but talking to the guys in Jamaica there is no chance that I will get on (waiting list is 700+ and no one is backing out). Let me know if you guys get anything going, I'm down to travel with strangers.
I'm in the exact same boat, would love to meet up with strangers if I can nab tickets. I'm not a USSF member (yet) and I'm not on any AO wait list. Was stubhub successful to those who went to SA? If I'm going, I want to sit/stand with the crazies...don't wanna make the investment to go out there and sit with a bunch of lame, family tourists
Thanks for posting this link. I hadn't seen it before and it is great information. I'm currently a single traveler (42 year old male) but there has been talk of a group of us from Columbus looking for a house to rent. I guess some others had done this in South Africa and Germany.
Grant Wahl via Twitter: "Decent but not great hotel in São Paulo just quoted me its price during World Cup: $1,300 per night." And: "Friend just wrote to me from Brazil: 'Everyone sees [World Cup] as once in a lifetime chance to gouge those from the developed world.'"