Germany’s national team players are reaching into their own pockets to get fans to the stadium. The squad is bankrolling bus transportation for up to 600 supporters to attend their final World Cup group-stage match against Ecuador on June 25 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The gesture, organized by captain Joshua Kimmich, is a direct response to mounting fan frustration over the eye-watering cost of getting around the United States during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A transport problem two decades in the making
For context, rewind to 2006. When Germany hosted the World Cup on home soil, fans enjoyed integrated free public transportation to and from matches. Efficient rail networks, subsidized transit passes, the whole package.
Germany’s group-stage schedule has the team bouncing across the continent: June 14 in Houston, June 20 in Toronto, and June 25 in New Jersey. For fans trying to follow the team to all three matches, the cumulative travel burden is significant.
