New York hotel staff who served World Cup fans get to attend a match themselves
The article profiles Martha Bustillo, a 65-year-old housekeeper at a New York hotel, and other hotel workers who experienced the 2026 FIFA World Cup from a unique perspective. Initially priced out of attending matches due to high ticket costs (averaging $900 for group-stage games), Bustillo and 23 other union-represented hotel employees from New York and New Jersey were selected by the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council to attend England's group-stage win over Panama at MetLife Stadium. The initiative was part of a broader effort by state and city officials to distribute over 2,500 tickets to local residents. The story highlights how these workers, who served as unofficial ambassadors to global fans during the tournament, finally got to become fans themselves, with Bustillo receiving a Brazil jersey from grateful guests before her own matchday experience.
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