Komunitas Imigran Massachusetts Keluhkan Mahalnya Tiket Piala Dunia 2026

Sejumlah komunitas imigran di Massachusetts, Amerika Serikat, menghadapi kendala biaya tiket yang sangat tinggi dan kekhawatiran kebijakan imigrasi menjelang pembukaan turnamen Piala Dunia 2026 di Stadion Gillette, Foxborough.

Dilansir dari Boston Globe, lonjakan harga tiket di pasar sekunder serta pembatasan visa perjalanan membuat banyak penggemar dari komunitas diaspora terancam tidak dapat menyaksikan tim nasional negara asal mereka bertanding secara langsung.

Haiti dijadwalkan menghadapi Skotlandia dalam laga perdana di Stadion Gillette pada 13 Juni 2026, yang menandai penampilan pertama tim putra negara tersebut di Piala Dunia sejak tahun 1974.

"Don’t know if we can afford it. It’s a shame," kata Humayun Morshed, warga Medford asal Bangladesh.

Morshed menambahkan bahwa anaknya yang duduk di bangku kelas sembilan sangat ingin menonton pertandingan tersebut secara langsung.

"Especially since the games will be right here in our backyard and we may not have a chance to watch." tutur Humayun Morshed.

Kenaikan harga tiket dinilai telah menjauhkan olahraga sepak bola dari para penggemar setianya yang paling fanatik.

"They’re eager, they’re planning, like, ‘Where are you going to watch the World Cup? Who are you rooting for?’ " ujar Bruno Contreras, direktur organisasi nirlaba Soccer Without Borders di Massachusetts.

Contreras menjelaskan bahwa kebijakan imigrasi yang ketat dalam beberapa tahun terakhir turut memengaruhi psikologis komunitas imigran.

"These past years, immigrant communities have been targeted," kata Bruno Contreras.

Ia merasa atmosfir pengetatan tersebut membuat perayaan elemen budaya Piala Dunia menjadi tidak sepenuhnya bebas.

"That’s definitely one element we don’t feel like we can go fully celebrating this tournament and all the cultural elements that a World Cup brings to a country." ucap Bruno Contreras.

Kesulitan mendapatkan tiket juga dialami oleh tokoh-originer penting dan kalangan profesional medis yang memiliki keterikatan historis dengan negara peserta.

"The prices were not as high [in Qatar]. Transportation was free," kata Rachid Chakri, asisten dokter asal Maroko di Malden yang sebelumnya menghadiri Piala Dunia di Qatar.

Chakri menilai struktur biaya saat ini menjadi hambatan nyata bagi para penggemar.

"Those are definitely some challenges and some drawbacks about this coming World Cup." tutur Rachid Chakri.

Bahasa sepak bola dinilai mampu menyatukan orang-orang dari berbagai latar belakang budaya yang berbeda meskipun menghadapi kendala komunikasi.

"We would be speaking completely different languages, but we would just understand how to play football or soccer together. And I just thought it was beautiful," kata Vaal Thawnghmung, warga asli Lowell yang keluarganya berasal dari Myanmar.

Kekhawatiran mengenai penyambutan terhadap suporter luar negeri juga disuarakan oleh pelatih sepak bola usia muda.

"When the US is playing, I go and put my US shirt on and cheer for the US and look around, and I see people from basically all over the world cheering for the same country," kata Mohanad Mossalam, pelatih sepak bola asal Malden.

Mossalam mempertanyakan kenyamanan para penggemar asing di tengah iklim imigrasi Amerika Serikat saat ini.

"Because at the end of the day, we’re all Americans." ujar Mohanad Mossalam.

Ia mengkhawatirkan pendukung dari luar negara tersebut akan kesulitan untuk datang memberikan dukungan langsung.

"Even if they do come, are they going to feel welcome here with the current climate that we have with immigration?" ucap Mohanad Mossalam.

Gairah menyambut Piala Dunia di wilayah New England dinilai masih belum terasa maksimal oleh sebagian pegiat olahraga setempat.

"I want to see the Senegal fans paint [their faces] in the colors of their countries. I want to hear the drums. I want to see the people chanting, whether the team is winning or losing or tying," kata Olf Mouyaka, pendiri organisasi nirlaba Football Leadership Opportunity.

Mouyaka membandingkan keriuhan turnamen sepak bola yang pernah disaksikannya di tempat lain dengan kondisi lokal.

"I’ve seen that excitement before. I just don’t feel it here in New England right now, and especially being in Boston." tutur Olf Mouyaka.

Warga keturunan Haiti di Massachusetts, yang jumlahnya mencapai sekitar 80.000 hingga 87.000 jiwa menurut laporan WBUR dan Al Jazeera, merasakan dampak langsung dari tingginya harga tiket resmi dan reseler.

"That is extremely difficult," kata Carl Richard, warga Stoughton sekaligus ayah dari pesenam Olimpiade Frederick Richard.

Richard berencana membeli dua tiket dan berharap harga pasar reseler turun mendekati anggaran yang disiapkannya.

"At least I’d love to go to the first game here." ujar Carl Richard.

Ia menghitung pengeluaran total yang harus disetujui bersama istrinya demi menyaksikan laga bersejarah tersebut.

"My wife has to approve it, but that'd be $1,000 right there." ucap Carl Richard.

Beberapa perwakilan komunitas mengaku sudah putus asa dan memilih tidak memikirkan proses pembelian tiket.

"It’s like a once-in-a-generational opportunity." kata Yionel Jean Torres, ketua dewan Mattapan Main Streets.

Torres menyatakan enggan membebani diri sendiri dengan stres akibat berburu tiket Piala Dunia.

"I’m not even trying, because I don’t even want to stress myself out," ujar Yionel Jean Torres.

Ia bersikap pasrah dengan kehadiran skuad nasional di wilayah tempat tinggalnya.

"If they come, great. If they don’t, I’ll deal with it." ucap Yionel Jean Torres.

Di sisi lain, lembaga nirlaba kepemudaan berupaya mencari jalan agar anak-anak didik mereka bisa ikut serta merasakan atmosfer pertandingan skala dunia.

"What we try to do is empower the youth through different programs," kata Moses Jean-Pierre, direktur eksekutif Hoops for Haiti.

Jean-Pierre menyatakan bahwa menonton langsung merupakan kesempatan terbesar dalam hidup anak-anak tersebut.

"We would love to be able to find a way to get some tickets for our kids to go to the game." tutur Moses Jean-Pierre.

Satu di antara sedikit warga yang telah mengamankan tiket masuk mendapatkan akses tersebut sebagai hadiah ulang tahun.

"She said, ‘Christ, get ready. We’re going to Haiti against Scotland,’ " kata Christ Lebrun, seorang pemain bola basket lokal.

Lebrun merespons dengan antusias ketika pasangannya memberikan konfirmasi ketersediaan tiket.

"I'm like, ‘Alright, bet!’ " ucap Christ Lebrun.

Dari aspek regulasi, kebijakan larangan perjalanan federal memicu kecemasan adanya peningkatan pengawasan keimigrasian di sekitar area stadion pada hari pertandingan.

"Haitians would love to come support the team, but they won’t get a visa. Can you imagine?" kata Wadner Pierre, pendukung timnas Haiti yang menetap di Foxborough.

Pierre menyebut pengetatan keamanan federasi berpotensi menakuti warga yang belum memiliki status hukum permanen.

"You will have more federal agents deployed around the stadium," ujar Wadner Pierre.

Ia menyarankan para penggemar untuk tidak mengambil risiko hukum yang tidak perlu.

"You don’t want to chance that." ucap Wadner Pierre.

Sementara dari pihak suporter lawan, koordinasi perjalanan massal sudah mulai disusun dengan target mendatangkan ribuan pendukung ke Amerika Serikat.

"The Scots are well known for creating a party atmosphere with everyone, wherever they go," kata Ian Cox, koordinator grup perjalanan suporter Skotlandia.

Cox berharap kehadiran pendukung dari kedua belah pihak dapat menciptakan kebersamaan yang baik di dalam stadion.

"It's about love, and it's about sharing good times with other people. So I'd be very disappointed not to share that with lots of fans of the opposing team." tutur Ian Cox.

Tokoh pergerakan lokal memastikan perwakilan delegasi dari wilayah sekitar Massachusetts akan tetap hadir meramaikan pertandingan dengan musik tradisional.

"Some of them [are] coming from Providence, Rhode Island, as delegations," kata Charlot Lucien, seorang aktivis dan guru.

Lucien menambahkan bahwa persiapan kelompok musik rara juga sedang digerakkan dari wilayah Randolph.

"Some of them are organizing into rara bands, those musical marching bands coming from Randolph," ujar Charlot Lucien.

Ia meyakini dukungan langsung dari masyarakat diaspora keturunan Haiti akan tetap tercipta di Stadion Gillette.

"I know of folks coming from Mattapan — so we have no such concerns." ucap Charlot Lucien.

Stasiun radio lokal Radio Concorde menyatakan harga tiket di situs resmi FIFA yang sempat menyentuh angka ribuan dolar sangat jauh di luar jangkauan anggaran komunitas.

"We are happy Haiti is back in the World Cup after 52 years," kata Julio Midy, pendiri Radio Concorde.

Midy mengungkapkan rasa kecewanya terhadap tingginya beban finansial yang dibebankan kepada para pendukung.

"But tickets are very, very expensive and, unfortunately, we cannot afford it." ujar Julio Midy.

Ia menilai pengeluaran sebesar itu terlalu besar bagi kemampuan ekonomi rata-rata anggota komunitasnya.

"Unfortunately, for our community, $1,000 for a ticket is too much, even for me. I don’t have my tickets yet, but I’m optimistic we can find a way to go." ucap Julio Midy.

Midy juga menyoroti kendala teknis pembelian daring bagi para penggemar dari generasi tua.

"We expected tickets to be expensive, OK, $200 to support our team. But this is [more than] four times our budget. Also, a lot of people my age don’t know how to go online to get tickets." tutur Julio Midy.

Ia merasa skema harga tinggi ini secara tidak langsung menyingkirkan kelompok masyarakat ekonomi menengah ke bawah.

"It feels like [high prices are] a way to officially kick you out, but they don tell you they’re kicking you out." kata Julio Midy.

Upaya advokasi untuk mendapatkan alokasi tiket murah bagi komunitas lokal sejauh ini dilaporkan selalu menghadapi jalan buntu.

"For a long time, my office have been advocating for community tickets at a low cost or no cost, and we have just hit walls every time," kata Ruthzee Louijeune, Anggota Dewan Kota Boston keturunan Haitian-American.

Louijeune menyatakan harga daring saat ini bersifat restriktif bagi mayoritas warga di wilayahnya.

"I know there are Haitian people that are going, that have purchased tickets at face value, or whatever price is going on online, but it is cost-prohibitive for a number of people in our community." ujar Ruthzee Louijeune.

Ia menambahkan bahwa pembatasan administrasi federal menyulitkan warga dari negara asal untuk berkunjung dengan mudah.

"I know soccer fans will be here from around the world, the Tartan Army will be here, they’re coming in strong from Scotland," ucap Ruthzee Louijeune.

Pihaknya kini mencoba memaksimalkan peran diaspora untuk memberikan sambutan hangat bagi tim nasional.

"But because of the action of this federal administration, the people of Haiti are not able to come as easily as other countries, and we’re trying to do our best, as a diaspora, to make the team feel very prideful … maybe it will come via them releasing some tickets or working with sponsorships to make it happen." tutur Ruthzee Louijeune.

Perwakilan dari lembaga legislatif tingkat tinggi turut menyampaikan kritik terhadap aksesibilitas tiket bagi keluarga imigran.

"There is something fundamentally wrong when families in the Massachusetts Haitian community cannot afford tickets to an historic World Cup game, and I just think that it is critical that that problem can get rectified." kata Edward J Markey, Senator AS asal Massachusetts.

Berdasarkan catatan sejarah sepak bola dari Miami Herald, tim nasional Haiti berhasil lolos ke Piala Dunia 2026 setelah memenangi laga kualifikasi Grup C zona Concacaf tanpa memainkan satu pun pertandingan kandang di negaranya sendiri sejak 2021.

"I think sports is a great unifier, and even though I haven’t been to the country, the country is its people, and I’ve spent a lot of time growing up around Haitians, and then in recent months and weeks feeling the support from the Haitian fans everywhere we’ve been, even though we haven’t been able to play any of our home matches on Haitian soil," kata Duke Lecroix, bek timnas Haiti kelahiran New Jersey.

Lecroix menyebut dukungan para suporter tetap mengalir selama kiprah tim di liga domestik Amerika Serikat.

"I even saw some Haitian flags at my games in Colorado." ujar Duke Lecroix.

Meskipun sebagian besar pemain berasal dari wilayah diaspora, komitmen terhadap lambang negara diakui tetap berjalan kuat.

"There’s no difference, to be honest, because once we’re together, we’re all united, and we know we represent one country," kata Louicius Deedson, pemain sayap timnas Haiti asal FC Dallas.

Deedson menegaskan seluruh anggota tim siap memberikan performa maksimal terlepas dari tempat kelahiran mereka.

"The guys who come from out of Haiti love the country as much as I do, and once we’re on the field, they’re willing to push just as much as I am for the team." ujar Louicius Deedson.

Para pemain menyadari situasi sulit yang tengah melanda negara asal mereka akibat gejolak politik dan keamanan.

"Once they put on the jersey, they give everything for the country because they know what the country is going through and what we can bring them, to represent them well." ucap Louicius Deedson.

Ikatan tradisi keluarga dalam mewakili tim nasional menjadi motivasi tambahan bagi sejumlah pemain diaspora di skuad utama.

"My family definitely takes pride in representing Haiti because our grandfather came here at 18, people talked about how good a player he was and what he could have accomplished, but he gave that all up to come to the States, so I take pride in honoring his sacrifice by representing Haiti," kata Derrick Etienne, gelandang timnas Haiti berusia 29 tahun.

Etienne menceritakan momen dramatis ketika kelolosan tim ditentukan oleh hasil pertandingan antara Kosta Rika dan Honduras.

"It was an intense rush of emotions," ujar Derrick Etienne.

Kemenangan otomatis tersebut memicu perayaan emosional di tengah skeptisisme publik luar terhadap peluang tim.

"Having our fate depend on what happened in the other game, sitting there on pins and needles, waiting on that, but once that final whistle blew, we were able to celebrate, and it was an amazing feeling, because of the fact of what the team had had to go through, not playing in Haiti, being on the road the whole time." ucap Derrick Etienne.

Ia mengingat kerja keras tim melewati seluruh fase kualifikasi di tempat netral akibat Stadion Sylvio Cator di Port-au-Prince dikuasai kelompok bersenjata sejak Maret 2024.

"People were saying that basically that there’s a very little chance of us winning the group and going through, so the fact that we were able to beat all those odds was extremely gratifying." tutur Derrick Etienne.

Skuad timnas Haiti saat ini dijadwalkan menggelar pemusatan latihan pretournament di Port St. Lucie, Florida, yang dilanjutkan dengan laga uji coba melawan Selandia Baru pada 2 Juni 2026 di Fort Lauderdale dan Peru pada 5 Juni 2026 di Nu Stadium, Miami.