SUPPORTERS’ chiefs fear fans travelling to this summer’s World Cup could be saddled with debt by rising transport costs on top of inflated ticket prices.

England and Scotland fans, already reeling from the use of dynamic pricing, where costs rise or fall depending on demand for match tickets in the United States, have been left dismayed after it was confirmed that return train travel to the stadium in Boston, where both nations play group games, will cost $80 (£60).

Local media have reported the standard fare for the journey from Boston South Station to Foxboro Station – the closest to the stadium, which is around 22 miles from downtown Boston – is $20 (£15).

Paul Goodwin, co-founder of the Scottish Football Supporters Association, told PA: “There will be a lot of second mortgages and costs being put on credit cards. You can laugh about it, but there is a worry that some people are actually going to overextend themselves.

“It’s another huge disappointment. It’s a kick in the goolies to ordinary fans and another reminder that the further up the tree that you go, the game is getting further and further away from its origins and the people who will turn up on a wet Tuesday night in Forfar.

“Our stance on it is it’s totally out of order.”

Scotland, who also play Brazil in Miami, open their Group C campaign against Haiti in Boston on June 14 and return five days later to face Morocco, while England meet Group L rivals Ghana at the same venue on June 23.

It is the first time the Scots have made it to the tournament – where Category 1 seats for the final were being offered for almost $11,000 (£8,335) last week – since 1998 and around 20,000 supporters, most without tickets, are expected to cross the Atlantic.

Goodwin said: “There will still be a huge amount of Scots there, but while they’re there, it just feels as if they’re going to be fleeced, which is a horrible situation to be in.”

The FSA has also expressed its disquiet with the cost of travel to England’s game in Boston, where car parking at the stadium starts at $175 (£132).

A statement on its Free Lions X account said: “At what is normally a 20 dollar return, we are incredibly disappointed that this has been allowed to happen.

“For a stadium so far away from its advertised location, all organisers had a duty to ensure supporters could get there sustainably and for a fair price. Unfortunately, like much with this tournament, supporters are gouged.”

However, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which pointed out that tickets cover the entire Commuter Rail network on match days, defended the pricing.

An MBTA statement said: “We are confident that the Commuter Rail will be one of the easiest, most affordable ways to get to and from Boston Stadium.

“The MBTA plans to run an unprecedented amount of service for the World Cup, [mobilising] up to 20,000 riders to and from each of the seven matches.”

Anecdotally, Goodwin is aware of Scotland fans investigating the possibility of hiring school buses as an alternative.

He said: “Before you know it, there’ll be a procession of 40 yellow buses with tartan all over them.”