German National Team Players Provide 'Free Buses' for 600 Fans

Players on the German national football team have decided to pool their own money to charter buses for 600 fans traveling to watch their final group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The British public broadcaster BBC reported today (June 11) that "as criticism mounted over excessive public transportation costs during the World Cup, German national team players decided to fully cover the bus travel expenses for 600 of their fans planning to attend the final group stage match."
Germany is set to play its final Group E match against Ecuador at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 26.
While the stadium is typically accessible from downtown New York by train for $12.90 (approx. 19,800 KRW), train ticket prices surged to $150 (approx. 230,000 KRW) ahead of this tournament before dropping to $98 (approx. 150,000 KRW) following public backlash.
Shuttle fares were also initially set at $80 for a similar route but have since been reduced to $20.
The Governor of New Jersey explained that this was because FIFA had refused to provide transportation subsidies.
With the burden of transportation costs growing for fans attending the North American World Cup, the German national team players stepped in.
The German Football Association (DFB) stated, "Considering the high costs of buses and trains in New York during the World Cup, the national team players have arranged free transportation for 600 fans attending the final group stage match," adding, "Captain Joshua Kimmich and his teammates are covering the cost of chartering buses to transport fans to the stadium where the match against Ecuador will be held out of their own pockets."
The United States, a co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, had promised to operate a free public transportation system when it won the bid in 2018, but it revised the agreement in 2023, requiring fans to pay transportation costs at cost price.
(Photo: Reuters, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.