More than a million unsold tickets: the crowd is in no rush to get to the World Cup

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According to the Ofakim tourism company, for example, the number of flights to this year’s World Cup will be about half of the number that flew to Russia in 2018. “Logistically, the World Cup is one of the most complex sporting events in the world, certainly when it happens in three different countries (the USA, Mexico and Canada) and in many cities within the USA,” says Revital Ben Natan, CEO of Ofakim. “There are a variety of reasons for the relatively low demand among Israelis. First and foremost, the supply of flights is low and prices are very high – when we are talking about an increase of about 75% compared to the previous June.

“Besides, the fact that the World Cup is taking place in a distant destination makes the trip an ‘event’, and not a foray of a few days as could be done in Russia 2018 or even in Qatar 2022.”

To all of this we also have to add the flights, which have become a challenge in itself given the fact that the American airlines have not yet returned to Israel. “Interestingly, the Israelis who purchased tickets do not give up their dream and find every possible way to fly. Whether that means looking for a seat on the Israeli airlines even at a more expensive price, or connections through Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and even flights to Greece and from there to get a flight to the United States,” adds Ben Natan.

“Of the flights, more than 70% choose the USA and not Mexico and Canada, which are hosting the World Cup together with it. About 80% choose to reach destinations to which there are direct flights from Israel, such as Miami or New York, and are not looking to move around too much within the US.”

“Orders are lower than forecasts”

For travelers, it is worth paying attention to the situation of hotel prices in the US – which are also experiencing lower demand than expected. “The most surprising thing is the gap between what the hotels expected at the beginning and what has been realized so far,” Ashley Gutermuth, director of the consulting department of the business travel company FCM, told Forbes. “When we first looked at the prices in December, the hotels priced it according to the expected one-time demand. But in April, at least in half of the cities, these prices have already dropped. This is an extraordinary correction.”

Still, the prices are much more expensive than usual. For example, according to FCM, the average price per night in New York, during the World Cup, is $593. For comparison, in the same period last year, the price was $300. In Los Angeles, the price is now $383 (compared to $210 last year). Of course, there are also cheaper cities – in Houston, for example, you can find a night ticket for $282 (last year the price was $120).

The most surprising figure regarding hotels comes from Canada, which will also host the World Cup. Last year, the average price per night in Vancouver was $230. Now, you will have to pay no less than 890 dollars – the highest price of all the cities hosting the World Cup. The reason for this lies in the fact that there are only 30,000 rooms available in the city, and the city will host seven games – including the Round of 16.

In any case, FCM broadcasts optimism, “The prices are not final. If you are flexible in the city or the dates, there are opportunities to participate in the World Cup without paying the usual prices.” To this should also be added the data of the American Hotel Industry Association (AHLA), which last month published a survey among the hotels of the host cities. According to the results, 80% of the respondents reported bookings “lower than the initial forecasts”.

However, it should be noted that even in the pessimistic scenario we are expected to see an influx of tourists in the US. “This is the greatest event that humanity has ever seen and will ever see,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said a few months ago. The organization is watched by 6.5 million participants in all 104 games.

“There will be many tourists, and probably wealthy people as well. So all the restaurants will be occupied and all the weekends will be sold out,” says Gilad Zilberman, CEO of SeatPick, an international platform for comparing ticket prices. “Of course, it also very much depends on how things will develop. If, for example, England reaches the final – the English will flood the streets and come en masse. The affluent countries are the ones who will move the needle, and also the prices.”

The most expensive World Cup in history

And after all, we also need to talk about the ticket prices for the games.

This World Cup has long been unofficially crowned as the most expensive World Cup in history. For the first time this year, FIFA operates according to the “variable pricing” strategy in the group stage as well, and changes the prices depending on the attractiveness and location of the game. According to the European Football Supporters’ Association (FSE), those who want to accompany their team from the beginning to the end of the tournament will have to pay at least $6,900. This is almost five times what a fan is required to pay in the World Cup in Qatar. And all this, of course, only for those who managed to win the lotteries And buy official tickets. A large part of the fans will have to buy second-hand tickets and pay more, much more.

More than a million second-hand cards

According to the international ticket price comparison platform SeatPick – the average price for a second-hand ticket for the World Cup games is currently about NIS 3,600. This price also includes the finals – for which the price can reach as much as NIS 33,000 – but also much cheaper games: for example, the average price for a game between Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde is about NIS 600. By the way, the starting price for this game is about NIS 340, The lowest that can be found today for one of the games. On the other hand, the most expensive game in the early group stage is between Colombia and Portugal, for which the average price is about NIS 11,000.

According to SeatPick, as of today there are more than a million tickets for the games, which have not been sold. “In my opinion, the games at the small events are going to crash,” says CEO Silberman. “There will be many games that can be caught at a good price. We also have those who say that after there will be a few games with empty stadiums at the beginning of the tournament, the prices will drop even more.

“Of course, in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico it will be an expensive event, certainly if Messi and Ronaldo meet in the later stages. But in many games there can be a crash in prices.”

If you put the picture together – the Israeli demand, the hotels, the available tickets – it can be said that, at least for the time being, the tournament organizers have some reasons for concern, and that the fear of empty stadiums for some of the games is completely realistic.

Either way, there is no doubt that these games, including local tourism, are going to generate quite a bit of money. According to estimates, the US alone will add $17.2 billion to its GDP from the event. And if the number is a little lower? At least they can console themselves with football.