MetLife World Cup train tickets confirmed at 150,alternativebuspricedat150, alternative bus priced at 150,alternativebuspricedat80 per seat (original) (raw)

New Jersey Transit confirmed in a media briefing on Friday that fans attending World Cup games will be charged $150 for a return rail trip from New York Pennsylvania Station to MetLife Stadium this summer.

Tickets are ordinarily priced at $12.90, meaning that special event pricing for the FIFA World Cup will be over eleven times more expensive, representing the latest huge cost to fans during the tournament. The Athletic first reported the pricing in a series of reports earlier this week, which ignited a row between New Jersey’s governor and FIFA.

In a further announcement, the New York City/New Jersey joint host committee for the World Cup announced there would be an alternative bus service — which will cost passengers $80 per seat. There are no reduced prices for children, senior or disabled passengers, which is also the case for the NJ Transit rail service.

Kris Kolluri, the CEO of NJ Transit, also asked people to work from home — if they are able to — in order to help New York City and New Jersey manage the flow of passengers during the events. Kolluri also warned that surge pricing from rideshare applications is likely to be a reality for fans.

Four of the scheduled World Cup games at MetLife take place on weekdays and four are at weekends, with two colliding with peak-hour commuter travel.

In the media briefing, the transportation plan forecast 40,000 passengers travelling by rail, 10,000 by bus, 6,000 by ride share options and then just over 20,000 being commercial-organized hospitality for FIFA-related hospitality, VIPs and affiliates.

Kolluri stressed repeatedly that Governor Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey declared ordinary commuters will not carry the burden of the cost, echoing reporting earlier this week from The Athletic that the decision has been made to relay the $48m cost to the agency to World Cup fans rather than local taxpayers.

He also said that NJ Transit has a $200m structural deficit, insisting this is “not profit making or gouging — we are trying to recover the cost.”

Tickets for the 18-mile rail journey are ordinarily priced at $12.90. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)

The importance of the rail service is also further ramped up because, while there are ordinarily 23,000 car parking spaces available for use at the venue, this number will be vastly lower during the tournament, owing to the security demands and space requirements of the games. NJ Transit is also needing to hire hundreds of personnel to guide fans in different languages at stations towards the venues.

Tickets for the bus services will go live today (April 17), while rail tickets go live on May 13 and will need to be booked in advance by supporters.

In a statement issued following the announcement, Gov. Sherrill once again called on FIFA to step up and help reduce costs for fans.

She said: “In the agreement that my Administration inherited, FIFA put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans. In addition, it eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, putting the burden of transporting four times more matchday riders than typical for an event at the stadium on NJ Transit.

“On top of extensive logistical considerations to ensure transportation is safe and efficient throughout the tournament — for regular commuters and FIFA ticket holders alike — this agreement will cost NJ Transit at least 48million,whileFIFAispositionedtomake48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make 48million,whileFIFAispositionedtomake11 billion during the World Cup.

“We are committed to ensuring costs are shared fairly. As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ Transit every day.”

FIFA has previously hit back against her criticism, saying: “We are quite surprised by the NJ Governor’s approach on fan transportation. The original FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City Agreements signed in 2018 required free transportation for fans to all matches. Recognizing the financial strain this placed on the host cities, back in 2023 FIFA adjusted the Host Agreement requirements across all host cities as follows: All Match Ticket holders and accredited individuals shall be able to access transport (public or additionally planned transport) at cost to allow travel to Stadiums on match days.

“The FIFA World Cup will bring millions of fans to North America along with the related economic impact. Many of these fans will travel to NYNJ to enjoy the eight matches scheduled, including the FIFA World Cup Final. FIFA is not aware of any other major event previously held at NYNJ Stadium, including other major sports, global concert tours, etc., where organizers were required to pay for fan transportation.”

Heimo Schirgi, Chief Operating Officer for FIFA World Cup 2026, told The Athletic: “Ever since the host city agreements were signed in 2018, FIFA has worked in collaboration with the Host Committees and their partners to develop a transportation plan that provides efficient and accessible mass transit options for ticketed fans attending the eight matches at NY NJ Stadium. The goal is to minimize congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and ensure the fan experience is positive.

“The NJ Transit current pricing model will have a chilling effect. Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.

“To arbitrarily set elevated prices and demand that FIFA absorb these costs is unprecedented. We applaud our host city partners across the country who embraced this opportunity to showcase their region to visitors by providing low-cost and often unchanged rates for mass transit.”

Neither Gov. Sherril nor FIFA leadership attended the media briefing.

Jun 10, 2026

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