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Haitians are celebrating their national team's first World Cup appearance since 1974, but high costs for tickets and travel, along with a travel ban, are severely limiting fan attendance. Haiti is set to play Scotland, Brazil, and Morocco in games held across various U.S. cities.
Costs Too High for Many Fans
Julio Midy, founder of Boston-based Radio Concorde, shared the community's excitement but pointed out the extreme expense of attending. "Tickets are very, very expensive and, unfortunately, we cannot afford it," he said. A check with the large Haitian community in Massachusetts revealed no one had yet bought tickets.
Boston City Councillor Ruthzee Louijeune mentioned that efforts to secure affordable or free community tickets have failed, stating the prices are "cost-prohibitive for a number of people in our community."
Ticket and Travel Expenses Add Up
Single tickets for Haiti's match against Scotland were listed at $2,100 on FIFA's website. Additional expenses include $150 for parking at the stadium in Foxborough, which has limited spaces. Even satellite parking further away costs at least $50. Round-trip train tickets from Boston to the stadium, a journey of about 30 miles, are priced at $80 by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.
Midy noted that while they expected tickets to be costly, he anticipated around $200, not more than four times that amount. He also pointed out that many older community members struggle with online ticket purchases.
Steevenson Chanson, a high school soccer player, called it his "dream" to see his country play but admitted the cost is too high for him.
Travel Ban Further Limits Access
Adding to the difficulties, a travel ban put in place by the Trump administration prevents many Haitians from outside the U.S. from entering to support their team. Massachusetts Senator Edward J. Markey criticized this, saying, "There is something fundamentally wrong when families in the Massachusetts Haitian community cannot afford tickets to an historic World Cup game."
The diaspora community is exploring options like sponsorships or appealing to FIFA for more tickets. Haiti's national team has played in Foxborough before for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Organizations like Hoops for Haiti see the World Cup as a valuable chance for young people, but the high cost of tickets and travel remains a major barrier. Some fans expressed frustration over the gap between FIFA's profits and their inability to attend, feeling "officially kicked out" by the expenses.