NYC World Cup train ticket prices surge 10x, $4800 round trip sparks controversy
US officials stated today that train ticket prices for World Cup fans traveling to major events at the MetLife Stadium are $150 (approximately NT$4800), more than 10 times the usual price, sparking strong public dissatisfaction. The route is about 56 kilometers long.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 14:20
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Central News Agency
(Newark, April 17) US officials stated today that train ticket prices for World Cup fans traveling to major events at the MetLife Stadium are $150 (approximately NT$4800), more than 10 times the usual price, sparking strong public dissatisfaction.
According to Agence France-Presse, this 56-kilometer round trip to the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes MetLife Stadium, normally costs only $12.90 (approximately NT$413).
Kris Kolluri, President and CEO of New Jersey Transit, said: "Our system charges $150 for the round trip from New York City to MetLife Stadium and back." The stadium will offer only 40,000 train tickets per day during the 8 matches. However, driving there is also considerable; according to parking website Just Park, the stadium will provide limited parking for disabled fans, while other fans can park in nearby shopping malls at $225 per spot.
New Jersey's newly sworn-in Governor Mikie Sherrill defended NJ Transit on X today, stating that "FIFA has not paid a cent for fan transportation." She pointed out that the agreement reached between FIFA and the former New Jersey government "canceled" parking spaces at the stadium, leading to a fourfold increase in the number of fans requiring rail service compared to normal. "This agreement will cost NJ Transit at least $48 million, while FIFA can earn $11 billion during the World Cup."
When American sports media "The Athletic" reported this news on the 14th, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also posted on social media, saying that FIFA should pay for the transportation costs to the World Cup venues.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the fare increase. She wrote on X: "Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds outrageously high to me." She added that New York's public transportation system does not charge such high fees.
Thomas Concannon, Chairman of the England Supporters' Association (FSA), told the BBC: "Everything that has come out of this tournament so far has just been fans being ripped off."
He said today: "In terms of the expected cost of attending a single match, this price is clearly astronomical. No one expected to be fleeced like this."
FIFA, which has already faced criticism for the high prices of many match tickets, called New Jersey's move "unprecedented."
FIFA World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said that such a "demand to arbitrarily set high prices and ask FIFA to bear the costs" is unprecedented. FIFA stated earlier in a release that there is no precedent for a tournament organizing committee to bear spectator transportation costs.
He said: "No other global event, concert, or major sporting event organizer has encountered such a request. Although FIFA expects to generate about $11 billion in revenue, this is not profit as the governor claimed; FIFA has always been a non-profit organization."
In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, fans could ride the Doha Metro for free with a match ticket.
According to NBC News, high ticket prices and other costs for the 2026 World Cup have recently become a topic of debate. New Jersey officials announced today the transportation costs fans must bear to get to the stadium. The round-trip train ticket to MetLife Stadium is set at $150, 11 times higher than the usual $12.90. Bus fare is also $80 round trip.
MetLife Stadium is allocated 8 matches for this summer's World Cup, including the final on July 19.
The fares were announced by the state public transportation company, NJ Transit. New Jersey Governor Sherrill said that if FIFA does not share the approximately $48 million cost borne by New Jersey for hosting the World Cup, she will be forced to pass it on to the fans.
Even driving to the vicinity of the stadium cannot avoid high costs. Since the stadium parking lot is not open to fans, parking cards in nearby shopping malls within the same complex are sold for $225.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said: "This is not for profit; we just want to truly recover costs, because we believe that regular commuters on NJ Transit should not have to subsidize the increased costs from the matches."
The New York Times reported that NJ Transit's plan is to close parts of New York's Pennsylvania Station before and after matches, allowing access only to World Cup ticket holders who have purchased train tickets. Fans can purchase round-trip tickets for $150 starting May 13, with about 40,000 available daily. Approximately 10,000 shuttle bus tickets will also be available on match days.
NJ Transit's plan has been criticized by regular commuters and soccer fans alike, who are unhappy that this fee is much higher than public transportation fares offered in other US cities hosting matches.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the high ticket prices for this summer's World Cup, insisting that the global football governing body FIFA is a non-profit organization, different in nature from commercial concerts or professional sports leagues. He explained that FIFA only has the opportunity to generate revenue once every four years and must seek balance to distribute funds to its 211 member nations.
Infantino said: "FIFA's primary and currently only revenue-generating event is the World Cup. The World Cup only runs for one month every four years, so we only make money in that month. For the next 47 months until the next World Cup, we can only rely on this money."
He said: "Many...
(Newark, April 17) US officials stated today that train ticket prices for World Cup fans traveling to major events at the MetLife Stadium are $150 (approximately NT$4800), more than 10 times the usual price, sparking strong public dissatisfaction.
According to Agence France-Presse, this 56-kilometer round trip to the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes MetLife Stadium, normally costs only $12.90 (approximately NT$413).
Kris Kolluri, President and CEO of New Jersey Transit, said: "Our system charges $150 for the round trip from New York City to MetLife Stadium and back." The stadium will offer only 40,000 train tickets per day during the 8 matches. However, driving there is also considerable; according to parking website Just Park, the stadium will provide limited parking for disabled fans, while other fans can park in nearby shopping malls at $225 per spot.
New Jersey's newly sworn-in Governor Mikie Sherrill defended NJ Transit on X today, stating that "FIFA has not paid a cent for fan transportation." She pointed out that the agreement reached between FIFA and the former New Jersey government "canceled" parking spaces at the stadium, leading to a fourfold increase in the number of fans requiring rail service compared to normal. "This agreement will cost NJ Transit at least $48 million, while FIFA can earn $11 billion during the World Cup."
When American sports media "The Athletic" reported this news on the 14th, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also posted on social media, saying that FIFA should pay for the transportation costs to the World Cup venues.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the fare increase. She wrote on X: "Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds outrageously high to me." She added that New York's public transportation system does not charge such high fees.
Thomas Concannon, Chairman of the England Supporters' Association (FSA), told the BBC: "Everything that has come out of this tournament so far has just been fans being ripped off."
He said today: "In terms of the expected cost of attending a single match, this price is clearly astronomical. No one expected to be fleeced like this."
FIFA, which has already faced criticism for the high prices of many match tickets, called New Jersey's move "unprecedented."
FIFA World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said that such a "demand to arbitrarily set high prices and ask FIFA to bear the costs" is unprecedented. FIFA stated earlier in a release that there is no precedent for a tournament organizing committee to bear spectator transportation costs.
He said: "No other global event, concert, or major sporting event organizer has encountered such a request. Although FIFA expects to generate about $11 billion in revenue, this is not profit as the governor claimed; FIFA has always been a non-profit organization."
In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, fans could ride the Doha Metro for free with a match ticket.
According to NBC News, high ticket prices and other costs for the 2026 World Cup have recently become a topic of debate. New Jersey officials announced today the transportation costs fans must bear to get to the stadium. The round-trip train ticket to MetLife Stadium is set at $150, 11 times higher than the usual $12.90. Bus fare is also $80 round trip.
MetLife Stadium is allocated 8 matches for this summer's World Cup, including the final on July 19.
The fares were announced by the state public transportation company, NJ Transit. New Jersey Governor Sherrill said that if FIFA does not share the approximately $48 million cost borne by New Jersey for hosting the World Cup, she will be forced to pass it on to the fans.
Even driving to the vicinity of the stadium cannot avoid high costs. Since the stadium parking lot is not open to fans, parking cards in nearby shopping malls within the same complex are sold for $225.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said: "This is not for profit; we just want to truly recover costs, because we believe that regular commuters on NJ Transit should not have to subsidize the increased costs from the matches."
The New York Times reported that NJ Transit's plan is to close parts of New York's Pennsylvania Station before and after matches, allowing access only to World Cup ticket holders who have purchased train tickets. Fans can purchase round-trip tickets for $150 starting May 13, with about 40,000 available daily. Approximately 10,000 shuttle bus tickets will also be available on match days.
NJ Transit's plan has been criticized by regular commuters and soccer fans alike, who are unhappy that this fee is much higher than public transportation fares offered in other US cities hosting matches.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the high ticket prices for this summer's World Cup, insisting that the global football governing body FIFA is a non-profit organization, different in nature from commercial concerts or professional sports leagues. He explained that FIFA only has the opportunity to generate revenue once every four years and must seek balance to distribute funds to its 211 member nations.
Infantino said: "FIFA's primary and currently only revenue-generating event is the World Cup. The World Cup only runs for one month every four years, so we only make money in that month. For the next 47 months until the next World Cup, we can only rely on this money."
He said: "Many...