Argentine Father and Son Face Setbacks on 9,000-Mile Motorcycle Trip to U.S. World Cup Matches Without Tickets

Daniel Ravilli, 63, and his son Tony, 25, left Córdoba, Argentina, on March 5 to ride motorcycles 9,000 miles through 13 countries to attend Argentina's World Cup matches in the United States. The travelers intend to arrive at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for Argentina's opening match against Algeria, then continue to Houston on June 22 and Dallas on June 27. They have no tickets.

Tony Ravilli said he plans to negotiate for tickets outside each stadium. He added that seeing one match would be sufficient and any additional games would be a bonus. The pair sold a car and used savings to fund the trip after five months of planning.

Tony Ravilli originally proposed a longer route to Alaska, but his father suggested traveling to see Argentina play instead. Three days into the trip the riders became stuck in sand in northern Argentina's Jujuy province, damaging the clutch on Tony Ravilli's 2020 Honda NC750X. Overnight temperatures dropped to 37 degrees and they had no camping equipment.

A local resident helped them reach a mechanic. Because no road connects Colombia and Panama, the pair shipped their motorcycles from Bogotá to Panama by plane, then took a seven-day boat from Cartagena to the mainland. They continued through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala before reaching Tijuana, Mexico by May 28.

After crossing into the United States they stayed with friends in Los Angeles, where Tony Ravilli's motorcycle required a $3,000 repair. He said he expects to resume travel soon. Tony Ravilli said he hopes to reach MetLife Stadium in New York for the July 19 final.

He stated that ending the trip in New York would fulfill a personal goal regardless of match results.