No doubt a few on here have been to a WC before. I'm in the very early stages of deciding if I'm going (or more correctly allowed to go by the missus) and wondering if anyone has any insights into either of these tours, or any others?

I know the Fanatics have been bagged in the past for being 'sports' fans (because they go to the cricket/tennis/Rugby etc) rather than football fans but not sure if that would matter on a WC tour.

Both GGA and Fanatics seem to offer almost identical packages so cost isn't really a factor.

Went with the GGArmy to Japan and had a blast. Great people. Have not been on a fanatics tour but speaking to people there that had been on both and the feeling was that the GGArmy is more your rusted on soccer supporters whereas the fanatics was more your supporters in general types.

The people I spoke said both mobs were great fun to go with.

Based on nothing more than anecdotes I'd go with the GGArmy.

I have already booked my flights. I will be looking into this myself and would appreciate any insights anyone has.

I have never been to a World Cup.

Anyone who gives the Fanatics more money deserves to be kneecapped and left in Siberia.

Bozza hosting the Fanatics tour. That would be an epic bender

That's the initial impression I have as well but love to hear other views. Thanks.

also try http://www.sporttours.com.au/2018-fifa-world-cup

got tickets to one game so far but waiting on the draw for the rest. 

Never been a fan of these group tours in the past, but would love some sort of 442 meet up etc

To me both tours seem fairly overpriced for what they offer - how difficult have people on here found it to organise your own WC accommodation and travel in the past? Would love to go.

WC only comes around once every four years so the money doesn't bother me. I did Fanatics in South Africa and also traveled a bit with a mate during the finals. It was so much more fun being in a big group of Australians. I'll probably head to Russia with Fanatics again.

As for the comment about rusted on supporters, when I went to South Africa there were 1500 people with the Fanatics. In a group that large there's never just one type of supporter. There were a lot of rusted on supporters and a few more casual supporters. You can really find any type of group you want.

Not difficult, especially if you plan early 

Yeah, it seems like it might be more fun with a tour group. If I go it'll likely either be on my own or with one other person. Either way a group environment seems a good thing, especially since everyone is there supporting the Socceroos. I dont mind the idea of the pre/post game shows either.

It may have changed since but in South Africa they had special guests come in and do Q&A / chats, and there were usually only 30 or so people around watching. It was pretty good value watching Bozza, Slater, ex-Socceroos players and coaches chatting football while having a beer in the afternoons. Powderfinger and Fatboy Slim did guest shows too if that's your thing - there were less than a hundred people watching, so it was kind of novel.

It just the planning, with the internet it so much easier to organised. Russia is a bit tricky. Visa to start off it. But they probably be all prepared for it and a little more tourist friendly.

Just annoyed that ive got way to many work trips to go. Really wanted to go to this one as it choice wasn't a total farce, so its basically the last world cup as we know it. Before the stupid desert on.

My wife and I went to South Africa by ourselves and organised the whole shebang and we had a great time.  (Saw 8 matches BTW.)  Went to pubs and pre-match functions and met people from all over the world.

BUT be prepared in the planning stages  to commit to days on end on the internet scanning a thousand different websites, sending endless emails and going bananas working out whether that AIRBNB you booked is close enough to the stadium, what's the public transport like, whether it's in an OK area and what's nearby to see and do, inter-city travel connections, hire car reservations or train or plane or something else etc etc..

The only way I managed it was because I worked for myself and could spend hours hunting about on the web.  I doubt I could have organised it had I been in an office situation.

The beauty of the tours is everything's done for you.

I've done it both ways and they were both good experiences.  Just different.

I went to Brazil with one other mate and we flew solo. Was a really good experience staying in a neighbourhood of locals (airbnb) in Rio for the duration and then flying/catching buses to games. Met a heap of people from around the world and sucked in the culture.

I did meet up with one of the tours for the Spain game at a pub, but didn't really enjoy it as I generally go to the other side of the world to get away from Australian's for a bit. It felt like a pub in Australia for that game (albeit with some more football savvy people).

In terms of cost I probably saved a couple of thousand over what the tours did, too.

Not sure I want to go to that level of detail in the planning part. Tour sounds the go.


They've got a 'Fan ID' you apply for at no cost which means no visa required as long as you don't arrive more than 10 day before the start or  leave more than 10 days after it finishes.

Yeah they used the same rule for Confederation Cup. Just show your fan ID on arrival in the country and you good. 

Thats good, when i went there admittedly 10 years ago. It was a little intense getting in and out. Then again i was coming in from the Mongolian border by train. They where just searching the cabin for stow away. Its funny they knew all these "extra storage" places in our train cabin. 

Like most others on here, I'm interested in an organised tour. My main question however surrounds the ability to get tickets? As of right now the Aussie allocation is unavailable. Will more be released / what are the chances of actually getting any? 

In regards to tickets. Looking last night to buy for all three WC games.
Will the Socceroos fans be in category 1,2 or 3???
Just so I know which ones to buy

I’m doing the GGArmy tour for Russia 2018 - will be my first time but I’ve heard great things from friends who have done GGArmy tours in the past.

I went to Germany 06 by myself,,,   organised it myself,,  it wasnt to difficult,,  although at the time alot of the backpackers did not have online booking options so I had to call them up or email and give them credit card details to book.    Thought it would be lonely travelling alone,,, but at a WC, you only have to have your gold Aussie shirt on, and every other Aussie is your friend, and talk to you.

I'm not sure if it will be difficult to organise accommodation and transport (depending on how far the cities are apart),,,  so maybe wait until the draw is done, and we find out which cities our 3 group games will be in, before making a call to go package tour or self project managed. 

I certainly won't be going on any sort of package, but I'll definitely get a 442 M80 meetup happening in Moscow or wherever once we know where we're playing, if people are keen.

If i go i definitely won't be doing a package either, seems way more expensive than it should be.

Sign me up for that FFT M80 meet-up, Pala 🙌

If I haven’t bought tickets yet for the WC is it impossible from here?

Hopefully there'll be more available when the second phase opens on December 5th. There's a thread about it here.

Fanatics subgroup of ultras ready to take on the Russians

So, D-day (deposit) is this Friday for the GGA tour to lock-in current pricing before the draw. Interestingly the hotel they are staying at has double bed rooms available from FIFA.com for under $3k for the same 16 nights. The GGA price for a single bed room (not sharing) is nearly $7k...

So i’m trying to reconcile whether the organised ground transport, pre-arranged (at additional cost) inter city travel on game days, pre-game functions, celebrity hosts, sightseeing tours etc is worth approximately $4,000? It does seem expensive but having not been before it may be that the cost is justified given all the work is done, notwithstanding that they are running a business of course.