England fans – Disgruntled England supporters in Florida have branded the team’s World Cup warm-up against New Zealand a “farce,” accusing organisers of “price-gouging” after huge sections of Raymond James Stadium were left empty. Fans described ticket prices running as high
By the time England’s team landed in Tampa, the mood in the stands had already turned sour for thousands of supporters.
At Raymond James Stadium. set for the friendly against New Zealand. expat fans say they were met not by a roaring American launch but by enormous blank spaces. The result. according to the accounts of supporters on the ground. is that at least 50. 000 seats are expected to remain empty for England’s first World Cup warm-up match in Florida.
For Harry Kane’s Three Lions, it’s a stark welcome at a 69,000-seat venue in sweltering conditions. Fans say organisers tried to head off the “tumbleweed” atmosphere by moving supporters into different sections as the game approached. reshuffling people to help concentrate crowds in the giant Raymond James bowl. home to NFL side the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
More capacity was also reportedly closed off in the upper tiers once it became clear the turnout was not matching expectations for a matchup between FIFA’s 4th-ranked team and opponents who sit 81 places below them.
The complaint that drew the sharpest reaction centered on ticket prices. Just hours before kick-off, supporters say tickets were still available at up to £225 close to the halfway line and £195 from a similar vantage point but farther from the pitch. The cheapest ticket was said to be £71.
Gary Bonnici, a 63-year-old fencing company manager who has lived in Tampa for 23 years and is originally from Cheshire, said he paid £260 for himself and his 12-year-old son. He argued that the pricing excluded the very fans who would have helped fill the ground.
“They put the prices so high that many people who love the game here couldn’t afford it,” Bonnici said. He added that after speaking with a local Brits meet-up the week before, many people had told him they were not paying that level of money to watch a friendly, “even if it is England.”
Bonnici said the stadium’s appearance ended up forcing changes close to kick-off. “Now they’ve had to switch people around inside the stadium,” he said, describing how he believes organisers could have sold out far more effectively with lower pricing.
“If they’d said $75 a ticket to get pitch side in the first tier. and then $50 to $30 as you move up. I honestly feel they could have made more money and filled a good half of the stadium. ” he said. “The whole thing is a farce. You don’t need to price gouge genuine people who are interested in attending.”.
The accusations land in a state that already hosts a large British community. More than 400. 000 Brits are reported to live in Florida. either full or part-time. with many concentrated around Orlando and Tampa and the south near Miami. Supporters also pointed out that at least 20,000 full-time residents were within a few miles of Raymond James Stadium.
Phil Peachey said he had to give a spare ticket away because he could not find buyers among his expat network in Orlando. He described the moment as a mismatch between the event’s promise and what supporters could realistically afford.
“I would have thought they’d have made everything as cheap as chips to create interest in this and have people make the effort,” Peachey said. “Now they’ve had to make the stadium look busy by shifting us around.”
Peachey added that he believed the stadium would not fill completely, but he expected something closer to halfway at least. He also questioned how ticket structures could have been designed to attract families and newcomers. asking why there was no emphasis on lower-cost options such as a £20 ticket for kids.
Another criticism from fans was the timing. They pointed to a 4pm kick-off in a stadium where. they say. there is no shade from the relentless Florida sun. With intense humidity pushing the forecast 33C temperature to a heat index “real feel” of 40C. supporters argued the heat may have further discouraged turnout.
Les Leeson, 52, and his American wife said they paid £265 for two tickets for an upper tier and had their seats changed to lower down so they would be huddled closer to other fans. Leeson said the experience left him embarrassed for the organisers.
“What’s happened is embarrassing,” he said. “I thought it might be bad, but I never imagined it would be this bad. Although we’ve ended up with much better seats.”
Leeson said he bought because he believed it would be the only feasible chance to see England without paying the high price he has seen for other matches, including tickets for England games at previous World Cups.
“And I said to her. you know we’re probably going to fry to a crisp. but it is what it is. ” he said. describing how he thought they could then walk down toward seats they preferred once the match began. “If a security guard stops me I’ll be like, come on mate, this isn’t a comedy. Want to look at all the empty seats?”.
He added that he has been in the United States for 20 years and has never seen an England match before, saying the excitement of the World Cup did not match the ticket reality.
“I was getting super excited for the World Cup, but those tickets started getting out of control,” Leeson added. He also said he heard many people question why the match could not have started later in the evening, suggesting an 8pm kick-off would have been “beautiful.”
Ross Devonport, an expat who said he paid for downstairs seating, told how he found himself sitting with people who reportedly paid far less for upstairs seats. “A bit annoying,” he said, adding that he believes England should have chosen a smaller venue.
The New Zealand friendly is the first of two England matches in Florida. The next game is against Costa Rica in Orlando on June 10, where the stadium’s capacity is 25,500.
Not every supporter shared the same frustration. Ka Ten Amin. who followed the Three Lions to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. said the ticketing process for both these friendlies and the entire World Cup had felt like a money-making scheme. “Excited to see England, disappointed at the pricing,” he said.
Penny Turner offered a different view after getting bargain tickets. She said she preferred Tampa’s heat and humidity to colder, rainier conditions that many fans are used to. “We got great tickets in the $70 range and have been upgraded to nearer the front,” Turner said.
The match is organised by England Football and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. Both were contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.
England flew into Tampa from Palm Beach hours before the match and returned to their West Palm Beach training base ahead of the Costa Rica game.
England Harry Kane New Zealand World Cup warm-up Raymond James Stadium Tampa ticket prices price gouging expat fans FIFA rankings Costa Rica friendly