Going to North America '26: tickets, accommodations, etc. (non-politics)

Czech coach looks like Mr. Strickland from back to the future.

 

The best seats in the middle block look half empty. Never keen on this.

 

Would be interested to hear from Mexicans or anyone at the games yesterday as a couple of things struck me. Firstly the crowd sounded so quiet. In remember being there in 1986 and they were so noisy and animated. Was it because the only people who could afford to be there were the uber rich? Also cannot remember seeing a game at the Azteca that was not played in the brightest of sunlight. Did not feel quite real.

 

What drives me mad these days is how wide the broadcast cameras is, players look so small and the action feels so slow....I guess I am way too old school...

 

Good I thought this was just me. Felt like I was watching it from the Moon at times.

 

Are we going to have 6 opening ceremonies in 2030?

 

Confirmed souvenir cup at the opening match at CDMX.
How about M2 ?

 

Is that really the price of a small bottle of zero alcohol beer?!!!

 

The official number was within 1,000 of a sellout for Czech Republic v South Korea, but it looked to me like 3,000-5,000 short. Some of those were those dead center sections that are always going to be empty unless corporate hospitality shows up in force, but there were other areas too.

Very curious to see how this proceeds, given how it was only match #2 of the tournament.

 

$17 USD for a 24oz Corona though!

 

Pesos. About 12 quid.

 

Well yes but that seems extortionate. Why am I surprised?

 

I think I heard the speaker saying attendance on M1 was 80k, capacity is 87 which is probably in line with your typical 5-10% ticket holders not attending of any sport event.

 

Capacity is 80,824 for the WC.

 

Match 4 surging up $200 or more from yesterday. FOMO kicking in?

 

I can confirm souvenir cups in Guadalajara.
Also - my seat was Cat 1 and just behind the goal. Sat next to me were either sponsors of hospitality people. They have messed up - presumably expecting the hordes of Korean American tickets to buy the rest. Plainly they all missed the plane from LA as empty seats all over the place.

On a logistics note. When leaving the stadium, get one of the buses to Plaza Galleria (a shopping centre) then get an uber from there. It works well.
As regards getting there - you can do public transport or an uber.
Beer - 290MXN

The Mexican fans are up for it - fair play.

And finally Mecenas is an excellent bar for cocktails.

Mecenas | Coctelería de Autor y Destilados en Guadalajara

 

The buzz is definitely a notch or two lower here and now than in Russia at the same point in 2018. Its the opening game for the US tonight and the WC is nowhere on the mainstream national news. Still focused on basketball even on a day where there are no games.

America likes winners so I expect the buzz to ramp up exponentially if the US does well. Even if they just win tonight's match it'll be all over the news tomorrow. But if they somehow lose, you won't hear a peep about the WC.

 

Interestingly, Netherlands v Japan is not that expensive ($679) for what it is - one of the more intriguing group stage matches on a Sunday afternoon. Still alot of money, but Haiti v Scotland is priced similarly - 2 teams going nowhere anytime soon.

Iraq v Norway also a good deal if you want to see some star power ($219) at a fairly convenient kick-off time (18h00).

Canada v Bosnia has dropped recently. I wonder if its because people saw yesterday's opening ceremony. (?) (Or saw the weather forecast?)

 

The weather should be fine in Toronto; the thunderstorm forecast went away.

 

Right. But brutally hot and humid, and no shade. The game with be pants!

 

The main stands have shade, but not the temporary addition. This World Cup is going to have plenty of worse weather than 79F/26C with 50% humidity.

 

Did you book the shuttle bus in advance?

 

24 hours after landing, and I barely feel the World Cup atmosphere. I deliberately stayed in New Jersey for some peace and quiet. I even packed and planned in a way that would allow me to stay until the final, who would’ve thought Morocco could make the semifinals?


But so far, the numbers just don’t add up. The time, energy, and money invested don’t really match the experience yet. Maybe it will all kick in tomorrow in Met Life.


I’m also considering leaving after Boston, but I’ll see how the atmosphere develops first. After all, consciously or unconsciously, we’ve been conditioned for years by the excitement surrounding this tournament.


Still the view of the Manhattan skyline from my uncle’s place by the Hudson River is hard to beat.

 

We had about 1-2 dozen people at a beer n sausage bar Rosamunde in SF for Korea - Czech Republic, come through today for USA x Paraguay, I’ve given up on tickets for that match. The mission had a lot of people out for Mexico yesterday, I had to work.

 

Just landed in LA. Looks like M4 will be at close to full capacity. Prices are holding high. Gianni and co know what they’re doing as Americans are buying late and fifa didn’t need to lower prices.