As soccer fans gear up to attend World Cup matches in various U.S. locations this spring, they will face more than just steep ticket prices.
For those traveling from New York City to MetLife Stadium, a round-trip train ticket will cost approximately $150 for each match, transportation officials announced on Friday.
This fare is nearly 12 times higher than the regular cost of $12.90 for the 15-minute, 9-mile journey from Penn Station in Manhattan to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
With no on-site parking available for the majority of fans, New Jersey officials predict that about 40,000 attendees will rely on mass transit for each match.
MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, is set to host eight matches during the World Cup, including the tournament’s final on July 19. The group stage will feature teams such as Brazil, France, Germany, and England, starting June 13.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill remarked that the fare increase was essential to avoid leaving state commuters with a long-standing financial burden from hosting the World Cup, which returns to the U.S. after an absence since 1994.
NJ Transit officials stated that providing transportation for fans during the tournament is projected to cost $62 million, with only $14 million covered by external grants.
“This isn’t price gouging,” NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri emphasized to reporters on Friday. “We’re genuinely trying to recover our costs.”
Costs for public transport to World Cup matches in Boston’s suburbs will also be steep.
Express bus services to Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, will charge $95, as announced by officials this week.
Additionally, many fans have already purchased $80 round-trip train tickets from Boston to a commuter rail station near the stadium, which is four times the typical $20 fare for such trips on game days and special events. Unlike MetLife, Gillette Stadium is not conveniently located; it is situated about 30 miles south of Boston in Foxborough.
Other World Cup host cities like Los Angeles and Philadelphia have promised to maintain their transit fares, aided by $100 million in federal grants provided for improved bus and rail services.
Kansas City is offering round-trip shuttle services to Arrowhead Stadium for just $15 and has a free bus running from the airport to downtown. Houston, which will host seven World Cup matches, has added buses and train cars for fan transport while keeping regular fares at $1.25 for buses and light rail, with park-and-ride options ranging from $2 to $4.50.
The New Jersey governor, a Democrat who assumed office in January, indicated that her administration took over an arrangement where FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, contributed “$0 for transportation,” leaving the state’s already financially strained transit agency “responsible for a $48 million bill.”
“FIFA should cover the transportation costs. If they don’t, I refuse to let New Jersey bear the burden,” Sherrill stated in a social media post on Wednesday.
FIFA responded, asserting that the agreements made with World Cup host cities in 2018 promised complimentary transport for fans attending matches. The organization also argued that no other major events at MetLife have been required to fund fan transport.
“We were taken aback by the approach of the NJ Governor regarding fan transportation,” FIFA stated in a Thursday press release, as reports of the fare increase surfaced. “FIFA collaborated extensively with host cities on transportation strategies and advocated for substantial federal funding to assist with these efforts.”
The significant fare hikes to MetLife have also drawn criticism from New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat. She expressed on X earlier this week, “Over $100 for a short train ride seems exceedingly high.”
This pricing surge was initially highlighted by The Athletic.
Other transportation alternatives for reaching MetLife Stadium will also carry hefty charges. Limited parking spaces at the nearby American Dream Mall are being offered in advance for $225.