Sawt Falasteen - World Cup comes to 'Soccer Town USA,' but locals priced out

The 20-year-old is one of many people in the industrial suburb of Kearny, nicknamed "Soccer Town USA" for its footballing history, priced out by the FIFA tournament facing criticism over soaring costs.

"It's annoying because it would be nice to go to see a country play here, especially since I live so close to the stadium," Duro told AFP at a soccer field flanked by a scrapyard and warehouses.

"For me, it's ridiculous," the goalkeeper added, taking a break from palming away shots struck by friends wearing colorful Brazil and Barcelona jerseys.

The most expensive face value ticket for the 2026 final at MetLife Stadium is more than $30,000 -- well above the peak of around $1,600 for the 2022 final. Standard tickets ranged from about $2,800 to almost $4,200 initially, but now resale for almost $11,000.

Fan groups have erupted over the costs: Football Supporters Europe labeled the World Cup pricing structure a "monumental betrayal."

Even President Donald Trump has said he would not pay the $1,000-plus ticket cost for the United States' first World Cup match.

Finance student Duro, like others priced out in Kearny, will instead be watching the tournament from his home -- around seven miles from the MetLife.

- 'Extravagant prices' -

Unlike other US towns, soccer is the dominant sport in Kearny, mostly due to Scottish and Irish immigrants who transplanted the game in the late 1800s as they arrived for factory jobs.

Since then Kearny's youth system has produced three US men's national team players including Tony Meola, and the hilly town of 40,000 people boasts its role in promoting US soccer.

Many locals are frustrated to be watching the world's biggest footballing competition from the sidelines.

"Soccer is supposed to bring people together," said Sean McDonald, a member of the Scots American Club, which is linked to the historic Kearny Scots soccer team founded in 1895.

"With the extravagant prices and the costs involved in this World Cup, it's not going to achieve that," the 51-year-old added.

He spoke to AFP from the clubhouse filled with memorabilia that included scarves reading "Soccer Town USA" and a picture of Brazil legend Pele with a former club member.

"They're charging an awful lot of money," McDonald said of the World Cup, as a Premier League match played on a television behind the bar.

"I think that that's being felt by a lot of people in this area who would love to go, but they just simply don't have the means."

- 'Take a little less' -

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has justified the organization's ticket prices by saying they are appropriate for the United States, which is hosting the bulk of the fixtures.

But that argument did not win people over in Kearny.

"Why is it so expensive because it's in the States? It's making us look bad a little bit," said Andrew Pollock, CEO of the Scots American Club.

He called for FIFA to sacrifice its revenue -- expected to total $13 billion for this year's tournament -- to subsidize World Cup tickets.

"We're all under the impression that FIFA is going to take billions every year of a World Cup. Why can't they take a little less?" Pollock said.

Jose Rodrigues, who drank a Guinness at the dark wood-paneled bar with his wife Ann, agreed that the tournament was out of reach for his family of five.

"I'm not gonna go pay $1,000 for a ticket or $500 for a ticket. Screw that. We're not doing it," the 54-year-old insurance worker said.

"The average Joe's not gonna be able to afford to go," Rodrigues added.

W.Mansour--SF-PST