A year's savings for 90 minutes? Discussing World Cup ticket prices with fans

One fan admitted without hesitation that he spent nearly $200,000 on tickets for his group. An American mom bought her son a VIP ticket for $2,150 and, laughing, confessed: "For my son, this is Christmas, Valentine’s Day, his birthday, graduation, and a new job present for the next few years - all in one."

And a local dad from Dallas, who works hard in building demolition, spent $2,000 on tickets so he could take his son. "I work hard so I can give my kids experiences like this. I want him to remember it when he’s older," he told us.

One fan summed it up best when he sighed about the $1,100 price for a regular seat: "For eleven hundred bucks, I honestly hoped they wouldn’t just let me watch, but send me onto the pitch to play!"

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Why is this normal in America?

For European fans, it’s a shock; for Americans, it’s everyday life. As one local explained, the secondary market and smartphones have changed everything: "Twenty years ago, you had to go to the box office and compete with people in line. Today, you’re competing with the whole world from your couch."

Super Bowl tickets typically go for around $10,000, and tickets for Taylor Swift can easily cost $2,500. Football in the USA has simply adapted to the market. But if you don’t have a spare few thousand for one afternoon, don’t worry; the second half of our report proves that you can still experience an amazing atmosphere outside the stadium.

We moved to the famous Dallas pub The Londoner, which was completely taken over by British fans. What happened there can only be described as pure football ecstasy.

Beer was flowing, hundreds of voices sang "Sweet Caroline" and "Football’s coming home," people danced on tables, and passionate debates filled the air about whether Paul Gascoigne was the most talented English player of all time.

When asked if you can enjoy the World Cup 100 per cent even without a ticket, people with a pint in hand answered clearly: "Absolutely yes!" The true football spirit doesn’t sit on expensive padded stadium seats, but squeezes in front of a big screen in a pub with people who love football with all their hearts and create a unique atmosphere.