Like legendary Malawian musician Giddes Chalamanda, Oscar Singini grew up longing to go to the US.
The 32-year-old realised the dream three years ago and is now working as a certified nursing assistant in Washington State.
But his stay in the US has also given him a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch the Fifa World Cup live.
On June 26 2026, Singini watched Egypt and Iran draw 1-1 at a sold-out Seattle, where 66 925 fans were in attendance.
To be part of that crowd, he paid $300 for a single ticket. This is about K600 000 at the official bank rate, where the dollar is not readily available. On the parallel market, that could fetch more than K1 million.
At least Singini bought a relatively cheaper ticket compared to Emily Duwa, another Malawian living in Seattle, who purchased her ticket at $400 two months ago before the price was slashed.
parallel market which is now more popular than the official market.
Back home, such spending would likely attract criticism from self-appointed lifestyle auditors.
All that money for a single football match?
In a video clip trending on social media, charismatic Presbyterian preacher Yasin Gama teases those who prefer a pizza bite to building a home.
He argues that every time one buys pizza, they are wasting money that could have gone into building a house.
If a pizza is equal to a bag of cement, then the Iran-Egypt game is worth over 20 bags.
The sermon could be understandable in a country where 80 percent live below the poverty line and dollars are hard to get.
Such critics would probably expect Singini and Duwa’s decision to save the money and watch the match on television.
However, the US-based Malawians are fully aware of that argument, especially because many Africans who move to the US for work do so to invest back home.
“I dont even regret,” states Singini. “I love football and it was worth it bearing in mind that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch the global tournament live in the stadium”.
For him, the pricy ticket cannot compare with the experience of watching a World Cup match live.
“I found myself living in moments that were felt distant and all I have to do is smile, reflect and be thankful since this memory I will cherish forever,” said Singini.
On her part, Duwa describes herself as a passionate football fan who rarely misses matches at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre when she returns home.
She said it felt special to live in a city hosting the World Cup and that she could not afford to miss this opportunity.
“I had to order jerseys for different teams including Egypt and USA just for this tournament,” said Duwa.
She also just booked a ticket for one game—Iran vs Egypt.
“It is one game, yes but to me it means everything. If I could afford I would watch more but I have work to manage too. What makes me happy is that I was part of the crowd live in the stadium,” she said.
But even in the US, the tournament is not for everyone as high ticket prices have kept some fans away from the stadiums.
Abdou Khadre, a Senegalese who works as a security officer in Seattle, opted to follow the World Cup remotely.
“I love the game and I would have loved to watch at least one or two matches, but the tickets are too expensive,” he says.
For Singini, the World Cup will loom large in his life story for another reason: He was selected from thousands of applicants to serve as a Fifa World Cup volunteer in Seattle.
According to SeattleFWC26, Fifa volunteers serve inside official venues such as the Seattle Stadium supporting match operations, teams and accredited areas. Host city volunteers serve outside the stadium, including at fan celebration sites helping create a safe and welcoming experience for fans, players and visitors.
“I am truly happy to be part of such an incredible global event,” Singini says. “I feel honoured to be selected from such a competitive pool and excited to help welcome fans from around the world.”
Seattle received 35 000 applications for its 2 000 volunteer slots, according to Seattle FWC26 communications vice-president Hana Tadesse.
