World Cup tickets are already a major expense. Add in flights, hotel rooms, and then the cost of a stadium beer — and the bill can really start to add up.
Across the North American venues hosting this summer’s World Cup, fans are encountering some truly unique — and at times eye-watering — food and drink options. In Miami, a tray of so-called “Fancy AF Tots” will set you back $75, while a massive five-pound empanada goes for $40. Over in Guadalajara, Mexico, rib-eye tacos are a comparatively modest $8. And in Los Angeles, a $22 item called a “Twinkie cheeseburger” — which has nothing to do with the snack cake — is turning heads.
For American fans accustomed to NFL or college football concession prices, none of this may come as much of a surprise. But for international visitors, the pricing has been a rude awakening — especially when it comes to beer, which can cost more than $20 at some venues.
“It’s unfair. It’s not right. It’s wrong,” said Thomas Schüller, an engineer from Germany who was in Toronto to watch his national team play. He was holding a beer that cost him 24.25 Canadian dollars — roughly $17 or 15 euros. “It’s three times the cost of what I pay in my country.”
That said, the price tag wasn’t enough to stop him from buying it. “Well, no,” Schüller admitted.
The sticker shock is understandable for many European visitors, where a beer at a typical venue might run just 4 or 5 euros — the equivalent of about $5 to $6 in U.S. dollars.
“Never seen anything like it,” said Janine Arbetter, a fan from Austria, as she waited in line for a hot dog, chips, and soda combo in Miami last week. The pre-tip price came to $19.35 — about 17 euros — though that did include a discount for paying with Visa. “It’s a lot of food for a little snack,” she added.
Reactions on social media have been mixed. Some Argentina fans proudly shared photos of their $34 lobster rolls from a match in Kansas City. Meanwhile, a brisket sandwich with chips and a bottled soda in Toronto — priced at nearly 40 Canadian dollars, or about $28 — prompted online commenters to call it “robbery.”
German fan Daniel Feldmann offered a more measured take after watching a match in Vancouver last week: “It’s OK, more or less, for the World Cup.”
FIFA, the organization that governs the sport and runs the tournament, has detailed rules covering nearly every aspect of World Cup operations — and that includes guidelines for food vendors. However, pricing and menu offerings can differ from city to city, meaning the concession experience in one stadium may look and taste completely different from another.
Those $75 “Fancy AF Tots” in Miami? They’re not actually tater tots. The dish consists of three deep-fried hash brown patties topped with caviar, creme fraiche, and chives. For fans who want just the caviar, that option is available for $70. The Los Angeles “Twinkie cheeseburger,” meanwhile, is a burger topped with what’s known as a Texas Twinkie — a bacon-wrapped jalapeño stuffed with brisket and cream cheese.
Many stadiums are also offering locally inspired menu items. In Vancouver, fans can try short rib poutine — a classic Canadian dish of fries topped with beef gravy, pulled short rib, and cheese curds — as well as a maple bacon smokie, a smoked sausage topped with bacon onion jam made with Canadian maple syrup.
Miami’s signature offerings lean into the city’s Cuban heritage, featuring pan con lechon — a Cuban-style sandwich with citrus mojo-marinated pork on a toasted Cuban loaf — along with the “Empanada Mundial,” a five-pound handmade chicken-and-cheese empanada named in honor of the World Cup.
Both Vancouver and Miami are working with Sodexo Live as their food and beverage provider, and standard game-day menus at both stadiums were adjusted to appeal to a soccer-focused crowd.
“We want it to feel like Miami when you’re here,” said Zach Williams, the stadium’s vice president of operations. “Everything we do around the Miami Stadium, we want to make sure everybody understands that when they come here, they’re getting a Miami experience.”
The situation in Mexico City presents a particularly stark contrast. The daily minimum wage there is 315.04 pesos — roughly $18. Yet some beers at Mexico City Stadium were being sold for between 299 and 310 pesos, which is about double what fans would normally pay at that same stadium outside of World Cup events.
On the other end of the spectrum is Atlanta, where the stadium’s owner has long championed affordable concession pricing — and made good on that promise for the World Cup. Pizza slices were available for $3, 32-ounce sodas for $4, cheeseburgers for $5, chicken tenders with fries for $6, and beers starting at just $8.
Jonathan Arango, a 33-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina, attended a match in Atlanta with his wife, daughter, and father. “In total for what we got — three orders of tacos, a slice of pizza, two waters and a Coke — we spent like $50,” he said. “Compared to what we’ve paid at other events … it’s nice after you paid a lot for a ticket.”
Despite the grumbling over prices, Schüller kept things in perspective. The World Cup only comes around every four years, he noted, and it still carries the feeling of a once-in-a-lifetime event. “The entire football world is having fun,” he said. “So cheers to that.”
