World Cup fans could be paying an arm and a leg to get to MetLife Stadium this summer if traveling via NJ Transit, that’s according to at least one report out Tuesday.
The Athletic reported that the New Jersey transit agency was preparing to charge riders more than $100 for round-trip tickets between New York Penn Station and the Meadowlands.
A standard round-trip fare between New York City and the Rutherford stadium typically runs $12.90 on “event days.” The reported special match-day pricing would mark a nearly 700% increase in cost.
The World Cup host committee for New York City/New Jersey did not provide a comment on Tuesday, referring questions to NJ Transit. An agency spokesperson said pricing was not yet final.
“The ticket prices for match day travel have not been finalized. However, as the Governor has clearly stated, the cost for the eight matches will not be borne by our regular commuters. We can confirm that the overall cost to the agency is approximately $48 million for the eight matches,” the NJ Transit spokesperson said.
A number of elected officials responded to the report, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer.
The World Cup should be as affordable and accessible as possible. Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me. That’s not happening on the MTA,” the governor posted on X.
The senator called the reported price hike a “shakedown.”
“NJ Transit may be forced to charge fans an eye-popping $100-plus for a train ride that normally costs $13, because FIFA’s hosting agreement dumps added transportation and security costs onto states and cities while FIFA keeps the revenue from tickets, broadcasting, and concessions. That is not a partnership, that is a shakedown because World Cup tickets already cost fans a fortune,” Schumer said in a statement.
MetLife Stadium — which will lose its name for the duration of the soccer tournament — will host eight World Cup matches between June 13 and July 19. The last match date is also the FIFA World Cup 26 Final.
There have also been rumored plans to shut down parts of New York Penn Station for certain hours on match days. NJ Transit has confirmed only that a temporary diversion plan will be in place.
More official details are expected in the coming weeks.