Ticket and travel costs soar, leaving Haiti fans unlikely to attend first World Cup in 52 years

Boston, USA – Haitians are eagerly awaiting their national team’s first World Cup appearance since 1974, but sky-high ticket prices, soaring travel costs, and a U.S. travel ban are keeping many from attending the matches.

Haiti is in Group C, facing Scotland on June 13 in Foxborough (near Boston), Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia, and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.

“We are happy that Haiti is back in the World Cup after 52 years,” Julio Midy, founder of Radio Concorde serving the Haitian community in Boston, told Al Jazeera. “But the tickets are very, very expensive and unfortunately, we cannot afford them.”

Massachusetts is home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the U.S., with about 87,000 people according to government data. Yet at the fifth annual Haitian Flag Day celebration held at Boston City Hall on May 15, an informal survey found no one with tickets to the match.

“My office has long advocated for discounted or free community tickets, but we always hit barriers,” said Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, who is of Haitian descent. “I know some Haitians will go, having bought tickets at face value or resale online, but the tickets are too expensive for the majority of the community.”

On May 13, a single ticket for the Scotland match was listed at $2,100 on FIFA's website. Parking at the 68,000-seat Foxborough Stadium costs $150 for just 7,500 spaces; auxiliary lots 1 to 2 miles away charge at least $50. The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority round-trip train ticket from Boston's South Station is $80 for the 30-mile journey plus a half-mile walk each way.

“Haitians are crazy about soccer,” Midy said. “Unfortunately for our community, $1,000 for a ticket is too much, even for me. I don’t have a ticket yet but am optimistic I’ll find a way in.” He added: “We thought tickets would be expensive, maybe around $200 to support the team. But it’s four times our budget. Many people my age don’t know how to buy tickets online either.”

Steevenson Chanson — a center-back on the Boston International High School Division 5 state championship team — told Al Jazeera that watching Haiti play in the World Cup is a “dream,” but he cannot afford a ticket. “Of course I want to go, I’m very excited to see my country play. It’s my dream to watch my nation.”

Massachusetts state Senator Edward J. Markey, who attended the Flag Day ceremony, remarked: “There is something fundamentally wrong when families in the Haitian community in Massachusetts cannot afford to watch a historic World Cup match, and I think it’s important that issue be resolved.”

The situation is even more difficult as the majority of Haitian fans abroad — similar to supporters from Ivory Coast, Iran, or Senegal — cannot enter the U.S. due to Trump administration travel restrictions.

“I know soccer fans from all over the world, including Scotland’s ‘Tartan Army,’ will come in large numbers,” Louijeune said. “But because of actions by the federal government, Haitians cannot easily enter the country like others. As the diaspora, we are doing our best to make the team proud… Perhaps there needs to be some ticket concession or collaboration with sponsors.”

Big opportunity

This will be Haiti’s fourth time playing at Foxborough. Between 2000 and 2015, the national team took the field three times in the CONCACAF Gold Cup (including a 2-2 draw and a 1-0 loss to the U.S.) before average crowds of over 30,000. In 2011, the Haiti Olympic team drew 11,513 spectators to Harvard Stadium for an earthquake relief fundraiser — at least 3,000 more than the crowd for that night’s New England Revolution match at Gillette Stadium.

Moses Jean-Pierre, executive director of the Boston-based nonprofit Hoops for Haiti, said seeing a World Cup match is a “big opportunity” for the youth the organization works with. “For some kids, this is the biggest thing that has ever happened in their lives in sports. They would love to see it in person, especially to see their country playing. We would love to get some tickets for them. The concern is transportation cost. We have no budget for train tickets or Uber.”

Meanwhile, a “homecoming” meet-and-greet is scheduled for May 27 for Haiti forward Frantzdy Pierrot, who currently plays for Caykur Rizespor in Turkey but previously played for Melrose High, Northeastern University, and Seacoast United. Midy stressed the event is free and open to all.

“You try to support your country, it’s frustrating to read articles about FIFA making millions,” Midy lamented. “It feels like the high prices are a way to officially keep you out, but they don’t say they’re keeping you out.”