In response to America’s actions…good initiative by Germany’s stars

Germany’s soccer team is covering the cost of busing the country’s 600 fans to their final 2026 World Cup group stage match amid criticism of the tournament’s high transport costs.

Train tickets, which normally cost $12.90 (£9.50) from central New York to the nearby MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Germany will play Ecuador in their final Group E match on June 25, were raised to $150, then reduced to $98.

The shuttle bus fare, originally $80 for a similar trip, has been reduced to $20. The governor of New Jersey stated that the high prices are due to the refusal of the International Football Association (FIFA) to support transportation costs.

The German Federation said in an official statement. “With the high cost of bus and train travel in New York during the World Cup, Germany’s players arranged free transport for 600 fans to the final group match.”

The statement says that according to the BBC report.Joshua Kimmich takes care of that And his teammates paid for buses to transport fans from New York to the stadium in New Jersey for the game against Ecuador.”

Germany begin their 2026 World Cup campaign next Sunday against Curacao, then play Ivory Coast in the second round before finishing the group stage against Ecuador.

During the World Cups in Russia and Qatar, free transport was provided for fans to reach the matches and their designated areas.

The United States committed to the same concession in its contract to host the tournament in 2018, and in an amendment to the agreement made in 2023, it was decided that fans would be charged a fee for travel expenses.