Attending a football – or soccer – match in the United States is one of the must-do experiences when traveling in this country. During the games you feel the atmosphere of joy and involvement (healthy, without clashes) as we are used to seeing in American movies. Not to mention the stadiums themselves, which are very spacious even in terms of seating and are real citadels of sport and entertainment, with kiosks, bars, shops, museums, and more.
If you happen to want to attend a match, there are some tips that, as foreign tourists, you should keep in mind. American stadiums, in fact, prioritize a family-friendly environment. Here is how to plan and what to know before going to a stadium in the USA.
Bag rules
There is one rule, especially for female fans, to enter a stadium in the United States: the bag must not be larger than the match ticket. And since the paper ticket measures about ten centimeters, you can bring a micro-bag with everything you need for the duration of the game. Otherwise (larger bags, fanny packs or backpacks), you must lock it in a locker (free and supervised) to retrieve it at the end of the event (often waiting in a long line).
But it’s also true that nowadays most tickets are digital and downloaded only onto smartphones; therefore, things for the purse can get complicated. Americans, however, have come up with a brilliant idea: the transparent bag (PVC).
They also sell them outside the stadiums, but if you wait to buy it at the last moment it will be too late. You should get one beforehand and transfer all your personal items so that at security screening the officers can see what it contains. At that point, size matters less, although it must not exceed 30.48 cm in width and 15.24 cm in height (the rule is 12×6 inches), provided it is transparent.
Small clutch bags (roughly the size of a hand) are generally allowed without being transparent. Diaper bags and medical bags are allowed, but they will be subject to more thorough screening.
Entrance rules for the stadium
Obviously everyone is obliged to undergo a metal detector before entering the stadium. It is forbidden to exit and re-enter in almost all American stadiums: once the ticket has been scanned and you have left the gates, you cannot rejoin the event.
Tickets and payments
To prevent fraud, printed tickets and screenshots from mobile devices are rarely accepted. To attend a game, therefore, you must download the ticket or the official app of the team or the ticket reseller on your smartphone in order to scan the digital tickets at entry. Inside the stadium, cash is not accepted. To purchase food, drinks, and merchandise, only credit cards, debit cards, or digital wallets (such as Apple Pay or Google Pay) are used.
What is forbidden to bring into the stadiums in the United States
For us it’s not a problem, but for Americans it is: weapons are strictly prohibited in American stadiums. Also disallowed are knives, umbrellas, foods and beverages, plastic bottles, thermoses and water bottles, and laser pointers.
What is prohibited inside the stadiums in the United States
Anyone caught throwing objects onto the field or using obscene or disruptive language will be immediately punished, with immediate expulsion from the stadium and possible arrest. It is also strictly forbidden to smoke, vape, or use tobacco products inside the stadium.
