I told my twins I'd take them to a World Cup match someday. 16 years later, I can't afford to keep that promise.

• In 2010, I went to the World Cup in South Africa and promised my 3-year-old twins I’d take them to one of their own.
• I won the ticket ballot to this year’s event, but the exorbitant prices ended the whole plan.
• We made a different plan to watch football that we can afford.

The number stopped being a holiday and started being a deposit on a house.

I sat the boys down. I’d made them a promise, and I’d keep it if they wanted, but they needed to see what it cost first. They’re not 3 anymore and can do the math. They nodded and said it seemed like way too much money. Even though they wanted to go, they knew we couldn’t justify it. They took it far better than I did.

We’re keeping the promise, but for a different trip

A few weeks later, I floated a different plan. Their Australian university year finishes in November. In December, we’re going to South America and doing a soccer trip we can afford. We’ll watch local league games in Chile and Argentina, where tickets cost a fraction of what they do at a World Cup. And we’ll visit the Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, where the very first World Cup final was played in 1930, and is now home to the Museo de Futbol.

I couldn’t get my sons to the newest World Cup. So I’m taking them to the oldest one instead.

The Tim Cahill jerseys don’t fit them anymore. They’ve been taller than me for years. Mine still fits, and the photo’s still up. I’ll change it when we’ve got a better one.