Dubbed the “Sommermärchen," or “Summer Fairy Tale," the 2006 World Cup in Germany was a widely praised showcase for a modern, unified nation that was welcoming to fans from around the globe. Part of that success was the “KombiTicket,” which gave fans free access to local public transportation on match days.
Since then, World Cup host countries have invested heavily in getting fans to and from matches, especially in Russia in 2018, where even long-distance trains between host cities were free, and Qatar in 2022, where free metro access helped turn stadium-hopping into part of the tournament experience.
