Fans could stay away from next month's FIFA World Cup as jet fuel shortages cause price hikes and travel uncertainty, experts have warned.
Jet Fuel Crisis Threatens World Cup Travel
The World Cup is being staged across North America, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico acting as co-hosts. However, issues stemming from President Trump's conflict with Iran could limit the numbers of visiting fans from overseas. Jet fuel supplies have fallen to critically low levels, according to a research note from Goldman Sachs, with the UK particularly vulnerable.
Francois-Joseph Schichan, head of Flint Global's Geopolitics practice, told City AM: "Whilst the routes to North America are most profitable for airlines and therefore least likely to be cancelled, the uncertainty for fans planning to attend the World Cup in the US, Mexico, or Canada, particularly for a short trip, might put at least some of them off from travelling."
Airlines Cancel Thousands of Flights
Airlines cancelled 13,000 flights in May, leading to half-term chaos fears for Brits who had been planning to go abroad. The World Cup, which begins in Mexico on 11 June, will see 104 matches across the three host countries, raising concerns surrounding internal travel within North America as well as international travel to and from the region.
Low Demand and High Costs
US hotels groups have reported that the World Cup has had negligible impact on demand, while spiralling ticket and travel costs are putting fans off. Goldman Sachs analysts also noted the UK's reduced capacity to refine jet fuel, which is a major issue should supply chains flow again but without maximum capacity.
Schichan added: "As with all air travel, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will affect routes to the US over the summer. The longer the conflict remains unresolved, the higher the risk that air travel becomes more expensive and less reliable. The main issue is likely to be higher fuel costs rather than an outright shortage of jet fuel, although supplies may come under pressure."
Tickets Still Available
There are hundreds of thousands of tickets still remaining for matches across the World Cup, with fans able to snap up spots to watch all of England's group games – against Panama, Croatia, and Ghana – in June. Scotland's three group fixtures against Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil are not sold out, while one ticket to the Tartan Army's fixture against five-time winners was listed on FIFA's official resale site for £11 million.
