The 90-degree sun was making a mockery of my sunblock, as evidenced by the bright red hue of my hand (and face and neck and legs). Truck exhaust made the mid-afternoon air even more suffocating, doing my hydration woes no favors. I was about halfway into a 13-mile journey, almost exclusively by foot, from Penn Station in New York City to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, to see if walking to the World Cup was a cost-effective—and sane—transportation alternative for the area’s soccer fans on match day. After my editor bet that I’d spend the $98 cost of a game-day train ticket on food and drink, I packed plenty of water and other provisions to save money on the route.
But at this point, my drinks were hot, my legs were getting heavy, and I had no choice but to slink into a North Jersey Dunkin’ to purchase two very large and oh-so-cold bottles of water and Gatorade.
The near-$100 train fare from Penn Station to the suburban stadium hosting eight World Cup games, including the July 19 final, has neatly encapsulated the fundamental concern with the tournament, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and officially kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City: that it’s a ridiculously expensive affair. While the sticker shock of what is typically a $13 trip enraged the masses—the price was initially announced at $150 in April, before it got knocked down to 98 bucks in the face of public backlash—some observers, particularly those from Europe, scoffed at all the outrage. “I know walking is an unfamiliar concept for most Americans, but it is a thing in the rest of the world,” wrote one user on X, igniting a viral debate.
Ferry ride with my son and me; some views from miles 1 through 9 Sean Gregory (8); Charly Triballeau—AFP/Getty Images
Were it not for a six-plus-hour trip, by ferry and foot, from midtown Manhattan to what is now known as New York New Jersey Stadium during the World Cup (FIFA does not allow stadium sponsors during the event),
