This is the Cost of Attending Every FC Away Game in 2025
Redbeard
This is the Cost of Attending Every FC Away Game in 2025
BLUF: It will cost about $18,841, a six percent increase over last year.
Last year, I determined that a hypothetical FC Cincinnati fan (I named them Gary) would need to shell out $17,816 to travel to all 17 regular season away matches for the defending Supporters Shield champions. That was an average of $1,048 per trip, ranging from a low of $708 (Hell is Real) to a whopping $1,814 (Toronto FC). There s a Trillium Cup joke in there somewhere -- submit suggestions via the Discord.
For 2025, I followed a similar methodology in order to make fair year-on-year comparisons. The IRS mileage rate for driving has increased to 70 cents. I increased the parking & tolls estimate when driving (to $75) and the airport parking and destination taxi/transit estimate when flying (to $120). As before, these numbers may be high estimates for some cities, but I also have not priced tickets to the games in my model, so consider those offset, at least partially, by high estimates in this category. The GSA and State Department also updated the government travel per diem for each location.
I did not recalculate driving times/distances for stadiums we went to last year -- so if there s a bridge out or a new bypass along the way cool. I did recalculate the NYCFC match; it s at Citi Field this year instead of the other baseball park.
I also expanded the hotel search radius from five to ten miles away from the stadium. This was driven partly by necessity (the Foxboro Problem ) and also because Marriott changed its online interface to make searching within five miles harder. I figure this expansion is fair because a fan staying five miles away and already willing to take a taxi/rideshare would not be significantly put out by a ten-mile trip to the stadium instead. As before, I only searched three major hotel brands (Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG), so the lodging prices shown are illustrative, not definitive. You may be able to find better deals from other brands, independent hotels, and vacation rentals.
As before, Gary will drive to see the Crew, Fire, and Nashville (under six hours) and fly everywhere else. Unlike 2024, a fan actually trying to attend every away match probably would not follow Gary s rules exactly. That s because we have two sets of matches (in May and June) where The FC plays away on both Wednesday and Saturday; most fans would likely travel directly between the destination cities on a multi-stop trip, rather than returning to Cincinnati for a few hours over Thursday night.
Overall Comparisons
Compared to 2024, getting to each destination is overall just about the same in 2025. Total travel costs (driving mileage or airfare) are only 1% higher, though there is significant variation from match-to-match (the median trip is 8% more expensive). The CVG to Philadelphia flight was the most expensive in 2024 at $648 -- in 2025 it fell by 36% to a middle-of-the-pack $415. On the other hand, the flight to see DC United is $289 in 2025 -- still below average, but 54% pricier than last year, the largest increase among the 14 repeat opponents.
Hotel costs have overall fallen compared to 2024; the average cost is 4% lower (even more if you factor in the lower cost of money -- which I have not) and the median is 1% lower. But here, again, there is significant variation. Two nights near Inter & Co. Stadium in Orlando is 45% more expensive than 2024 while a hotel for the Toronto FC match is 63% (!) cheaper.
Most of the average 6% increase in total prices, therefore, comes from increases in location per diem (up by an average of 18%, ranging from Toronto at 0% to Montreal at +37%) and my arbitrary increases to parking/tolls/transit. So, if you can manage to reduce those costs for yourself, you ll save even more compared to Gary than in 2024.
With MLS s current schedule structure, we only face six Western Conference opponents each year, half at home; as result, Gary did not visit our 2025 Western away opponents (RSL, Portland, LA Galaxy) in 2024
Least Expensive
Columbus Crew SC May 17, 2025 $729 (3% increase)
As with last year, our in-state rivals remain the least-expensive Away Day and can easily be made even cheaper if you stay fewer nights or carpool. Make sure to catch them at Historic Lower.com Stadium before they relocate to Brook Park!
Most Expensive
Toronto FC May 14, 2025 $1,539 (15% decrease)
Amazingly, the upcoming Toronto Away Day is 15 percent cheaper than last year s -- the biggest percentage drop in price all season -- but still maintains its most-expensive ranking. This feat was accomplished by having significantly lower hotel costs (63% less than 2024) higher airfare (+26%) and being so much higher than the next-most-expensive match in 2024 ($566 more than Philadelphia). In 2025, Toronto is ahead of #2 (Montreal) by a modest $75. Unlike 2024, this match doesn t overlap with any major US or Canadian or holidays,
Worst Value
Inter Messi FC July 26, 2025 $1,095
The FC s match at Chase Stadium in late July is $13 below the average price of away matches in 2025, but it earns worst value status chiefly for its 23% increase over our 2024 matchup. The flight costs 29% more, the hotel 16% more, and per diem 25% more. Is the soccer experience 23% better? (That was rhetorical, but no.) Only Orlando has a higher total percentage increase (27%) and at least then you re in Orlando with all the entertainment that city has to offer. Here Gary is paying $207 more to sweat in Ft. Lauderdale, not South Beach. (And this is before accounting for price gouging on the tickets themselves.)
Best Value
Charlotte FC March 15, 2025 $1,033
Last year, the Charlotte match earned Most Surprising honors for its significant price, driven largely by the airfare (3rd most expensive on a dollar-per-mile basis). In 2025, the flight is 19% cheaper and the overall trip 1% cheaper. (Only Philadelphia and Toronto have larger price drops.) In the other Queen City, Gary can conveniently stay 11 minutes from the stadium (or 40 minutes by public transit) and in a less-than-half-full NFL stadium, their booming cheers will carry the FC to victory!
Most Surprising
Portland Timbers August 16, 2025 $1,038
Gary s farthest trip of the season will follow the FC to Oregon for the first time in team history. If Gary were driving, it would take about 34 hours (a comparable drive for Europeans would be Madrid to Istanbul). As noted on the Post Cast, the same journey via Amtrak would take more than 60 hours outbound and 82 hours to return (yet again, cars win). And yet, this trip will be the 6th cheapest of Gary s season -- $80 cheaper than the average trip (13 of which never leave the Eastern Time Zone). Gary s flights will even be $133 cheaper than shorter airfare for RSL a month earlier, despite the first and last legs being identical, direct between CVG and SLC. Who knew the Rose City could be so affordable?!? Hopefully it s restored from its destroyed by the progressive movement state by then.
I again regret reading all those details and your opinions are dubious; Show me the numbers!
N/A Percent comparisons are against the same opponent in 2024. The FC did not play at LAG, Portland, or RSL.
Flight and hotel prices searched on Dec. 21-22, 2024.