Hundreds of veterans snag World Cup tickets

Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made history on Tuesday, not just as the first person to score in six World Cup tournaments, but also as the centerpiece of an unforgettable experience for Mark Garcia, a Portugal fan and one of hundreds of veterans receiving free tickets to World Cup matches. "The game yesterday was amazing, pretty much, more than anybody can describe into words how amazing it was and how important it was to me," Garcia told CBS News on Wednesday. Garcia and his wife attended the match between Portugal and Uzbekistan after entering a lottery on Vet Tix , a nonprofit that provides free tickets to sports, concerts and other events for current military service members, veterans and the immediate family of those killed in action. U.S. Army veteran Mark Garcia and his wife, Billie, attend a Portugal-Uzbekistan World Cup match on June 23, 2026. Mark Garcia For this summer's World Cup, Bank of America contributed $2 million and Vet Tix an additional $250,000 for almost 5,000 tickets for current military service members, veterans and first responders to attend games in the 11 U.S. host cities. Some 250 tickets are being set aside for each U.S. Men's soccer game as a way to recognize America's 250th anniversary. So far, about 80% of tickets have gone to current military service members and veterans, and 20% have gone to first responders, a Vet Tix spokesperson told CBS News. …