Is the most expensive World Cup in history worth the cost for travelling fans?

For a group of friends from Sydney and Wollongong, attending the "most expensive World Cup in history" required an unconventional approach to manage soaring costs. They opted to hire an RV, affectionately renaming it the 'RooV,' a decision driven primarily by the exorbitant price of accommodation.

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The inspiration behind the idea was the cost of accommodation primarily. We just decided that it would be a fun way to give ourselves some exposure to the Pacific North West, get together in a really cramped location, and then just have some fun.

"The inspiration behind the idea was the cost of accommodation primarily," explained Cam de Jong. "We just decided that it would be a fun way to give ourselves some exposure to the Pacific North West, get together in a really cramped location, and then just have some fun." The RV, a Cruise America rental adorned with an Australian scarf, serves as a compact living space for up to five friends. They plan to stay as long as the Socceroos remain in the tournament, finding it a sensible alternative to hotel rates that can reach $1,000 per night.

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It's a healthy amount of money but, so far, we've been here for eight days … all worth it.

Similar stories of resourceful traveling fans are emerging across the continent. Many acknowledge that attending the "people's game" is becoming increasingly unattainable for the average supporter. While most fans are reluctant to disclose exact figures, they universally agree that the experience, though costly, is "all worth it." One fan from Melbourne, who attended the Socceroos' opening game and England vs. Croatia in Dallas, described the trip as a "healthy amount of money" but wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

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We're here to support our Croatian team and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Martina, traveling from Toronto to Dallas to support her Croatian team, echoed this sentiment, calling it a "once in a lifetime opportunity." The cumulative costs for many fans quickly escalate into the tens of thousands of dollars, factoring in high ticket prices, travel, accommodation, food, and incidentals. Professor Stefan Szymanski, an economist and co-author of Soccernomics, suggests it's time to accept that the World Cup is largely becoming an event reserved for the elite. "We sell pretty much everything according to who can afford it. And we charge everything at the highest possible price that we can," he told ABC Sport, implying that pricing reflects market capacity rather than accessibility.

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If you look at this and you don't like the ticket pricing, then there should be a whole bunch of other things about your life that you really don't like and you think are unfair. We do this all the time. We sell pretty much everything according to who can afford it. And we charge everything at the highest possible price that we can.