As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, widespread public outcry from football fans has forced officials to roll back exorbitant public transport prices for matches at the New York/New Jersey-hosted venue, one of the tournament’s most high-profile match sites. The venue, commercially known as MetLife Stadium, will operate under the neutral name New York/New Jersey Stadium for the duration of the World Cup per FIFA’s rules banning corporate sponsored venue names during the event. It is set to host eight matches, including the tournament final and a Group C fixture for the England men’s national team.
Before the price adjustment, a single round-trip train ticket from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium, located roughly 18 miles outside midtown, was set at $150 — a staggering markup from the standard off-event return fare of just $12.90. Shuttle bus fares were originally priced at $80 per passenger. Following sustained criticism from fan groups and elected officials, train prices have been reduced to $98, while shuttle bus fares have dropped 75% to $20.
Thomas Concannon, head of the Football Supporters’ Association, an England-based fan advocacy group, had earlier slammed the original pricing as “astronomical” and far outside standard event pricing norms, warning that the exorbitant costs would have a “chilling effect” on fan attendance. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill had also publicly criticized FIFA for declining to subsidize match-day transport, stressing that local taxpayers should not be forced to cover the cost of the tournament’s travel expenses.
The issue carries extra weight because the 2018 host agreement signed by the United States originally committed to providing free fan transport for World Cup attendees, a perk that was extended to fans at the 2018 Russia World Cup and 2022 Qatar World Cup. A 2023 revision to the agreement adjusted the commitment to only require transport offered at cost, rather than fully free.
In a social media statement released Tuesday, Governor Sherrill confirmed that commercial sponsorship funding allowed for the ticket price cut without drawing from New Jersey taxpayer funds. “Good news: Ahead of NJ Transit World Cup train tickets going on sale, NJ Transit is lowering ticket prices to $98 without New Jersey taxpayer money,” she wrote, adding gratitude to private sector partners who made the adjustment possible.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul echoed the announcement of the bus fare reduction, noting that getting to World Cup matches should be as accessible as possible for all attendees. She also added that 20% of match tickets will be reserved exclusively for New York residents in recognition of the region’s role as tournament hosts.
While the price cut in New Jersey marks a win for fans, other host locations are still facing dramatic transport price markups. In Foxborough, Massachusetts, which will host matches for both England and Scotland, round-trip train fares from Boston’s South Station to the venue have jumped more than 300% from the standard $20 fare to $80 for the tournament. England will face Ghana in Foxborough on June 23 before moving to New York/New Jersey Stadium for a June 27 match against Panama, while Scotland will play two group stage fixtures in Foxborough against Haiti and Morocco.
Not all host cities have imposed inflated pricing, however: Kansas City will charge just $15 for round-trip shuttle bus service to its match venue, while Philadelphia will retain its standard $2.90 public transport fare for the duration of the tournament.
FIFA has previously pushed back against criticism, claiming there is no precedent for restricting transport price increases during major events held at MetLife Stadium.