In response to fan criticisms, shuttle bus fares to the World Cup stadium in New Jersey have been dramatically reduced by 75%.
Initially, supporters traveling to MetLife Stadium from Grand Central Terminal or the Port Authority bus terminal in New York were facing a steep fare of $80 (£59).
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on social media that the ticket price has now been lowered to $20 (£15). She stated, “Getting to the World Cup should be as accessible as possible. Since New Yorkers are helping host the world, 20% of those tickets will be set aside exclusively for New Yorkers. Game on!”
MetLife Stadium will host several exciting matches: Brazil vs. Morocco on June 13, France vs. Senegal on June 16, Norway vs. Senegal on June 22, Ecuador vs. Germany on June 25, and Panama vs. England on June 27. Additionally, it will stage games in both the round of 32 and the round of 16, as well as the World Cup final.
To accommodate fans, Hochul mentioned that yellow school buses will be added to expand the fleet, increasing capacity from the original 10,000 seats to 18,000 for five matches on non-school days, and to 12,000 for three matches on school days.
Tickets for fans with match tickets have already gone on sale, and those who bought the original $80 tickets will receive a $60 refund.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill revealed that NJ Transit train fares have also been cut to $98 for a round trip, down from an initial $150, with these tickets set to be available for purchase on Wednesday.
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Initially, New Jersey officials claimed the fare increase was necessary to cover costs associated with hosting the World Cup, which returns to the U.S. for the first time since 1994.
Governor Sherrill had previously pointed fingers at FIFA for fans facing high transportation costs, asserting that the state had “inherited an agreement where FIFA provides zero dollars for transportation.” FIFA responded, expressing surprise at Sherrill’s comments and highlighted that other U.S. host cities, like Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, are maintaining their transit prices.
PA and The Associated Press contributed to this report.