An already-expensive trip to theWorld Cupjust got even more costly, as NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare hikes to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year.

The East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium will host those matches, beginning June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a roundtrip train ticket to and fromNew York Penn Stationand MetLife Stadium will be $150, up from the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying that the ultimate cost to the public transportation company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.

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\"It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey's diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Equally important, she has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair,\" Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.

\"In order to move 40,000 people and to pay for the cost of $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150.\"

The CEO said that if the regular $12.90 fare were put in place, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.

\"No one that I have spoken to thinks that's fair or reasonable. Commuters in New Jersey should not carry the cost years into the future for a wonderful event, no doubt. But the fans going to the games should burden the cost, that's all we're trying to say,\" Kolluri added.

Days after New Jersey Gov.Mikie Sherrillsaid that FIFA should pay for commuters' costs, she did so again shortly after the fare hikes were announced.

\"New Jersey is ready and excited to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer – including the World Cup Final,\" Sherrill began in a social media post Friday.

FIFA SAYS NJ TRANSIT FARE HIKES FOR WORLD CUP WILL HAVE 'CHILLING EFFECT,' AGAIN RIPS NJ GOV SHERRILL

\"Since I took office, my Administration has been working to prepare for the biggest sporting event our state has ever seen – and today, NJ TRANSIT released their Mobility Plan to move 40,000 fans to and from each match safely and efficiently. In the FIFA World Cup agreement that my Administration inherited,FIFA put zero dollarstowards transporting World Cup fans. It also 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. This agreement will cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup.

\"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.\"

The fare hikes, however, did not please FIFA. In a scathing statement to Fox News Digital, World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said the \"current pricing model will have a chilling effect,\" including congestion, late arrivals, and \"broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.\"

Schirgi also ripped Sherrill for her \"unprecedented\" ask to make FIFA pay for the commuting costs.

\"No other global event, concert or major sporting promoter has faced such a demand. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a not-for-profit organization as per our statutes. Revenues from the FIFA World Cup are reinvested into developing the game of football, particularly for youth and women, worldwide,\" Schirgi said.

Parking has been barred from MetLife Stadium, and rideshare will be extremely limited, both of which will result in increasedNJ Transit commutes.

New York Penn Station will also only be open to matchgoers beginning four hours prior to the start of games, and fans were urged to avoid nonessential NJ Transit travel on game days.

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",{"_307":251,"_308":360,"_310":361},"b6c6dd17-2f80-4570-915b-9b549b4b9ddc",{"_27":360,"_40":362,"_253":363,"_42":364,"_278":365,"_316":-5,"_29":285,"_317":366,"_319":367,"_271":368,"_80":-5,"_82":117,"_232":369,"_307":251,"_337":382},"New Jersey Officials Confirm World Cup Transit Prices: $150 by Train, $225 to Park","New Jersey's transit agency will charge $150 for a round-trip train ticket to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, an elevenfold increase from the usual $12.90 fare, with parking priced as high as $225. Governor Mikie Sherrill stated the high cost is necessary to cover the state's estimated $48 million expense for transporting fans, as FIFA did not contribute to transportation costs. FIFA, however, criticized NJ Transit's pricing model, warning it could deter fans and negatively impact the region's economic benefits.","Price hikes for MetLife Stadium travel prompted outcry","https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/af77e5d2aca432df52005b94dd72a825566e54cf/270_0_1930_1545/master/1930.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&precrop=40:21,offset-x50,offset-y0&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=b8115157dc755a22a70db9300fe3b473","2026-04-17T18:17:09","https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/17/new-jersey-world-cup-matches-train-ticket-prices","sports",{"_27":370,"_235":371,"_134":324,"_80":372,"_265":379,"_266":380,"_268":381},"8418c596a8e9462cda8a767dfe5863fbf535aeeb38641a6c359c7662289ffacf","74032e046ec59f6a88181850bcba68948f09a9efa69696226e9ba17b440710f55ab1b53ecfe387edf6bbf04b25984cf9b5cd9a4778d66e7d7c5ca1fa4cf6cffd",[373,374,375,377,378],[271,362],[44,365],[329,376,39,331],"30023:c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da:b6c6dd17-2f80-4570-915b-9b549b4b9ddc",[262,263],[137,379,39],"c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da","New Jersey Officials Confirm World Cup Transit Prices: $150 by Train, $225 to Park\nPrice hikes for MetLife Stadium travel prompted outcry\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3cvxjt27s74qhy9ctz5k3ujgqd3vg96pdme8nywdq6g6le2yzw6qqjxydnrxejxgvfh95exvwps956r2des95unzdtz95ukydf5893rgc3ev3jxxfwws4v ",1776461931,"New Jersey’s transit agency has confirmed it will charge $150 for a return ticket to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium this summer.\nThe price for a round-trip ticket from New York’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium is typically $12.90. Reports this week of the elevenfold increase were met with outcry from fans and sparked a back-and-forth between New Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, and world football’s governing body, with costs mounting across the board, including parking priced as high as $225 at the mall adjacent to the stadium.\nNJ Transit and the New York/New Jersey host committee on Friday announced their plans for operations during the World Cup, which begins 11 June and runs to 19 July. MetLife Stadium will host eight matches, including the final. The $150 ticket will be a flat cost with no reduced options for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Fans will be required to buy a special NJ Transit World Cup ticket that includes a wristband for return travel, with departures from Penn Station assigned in time blocks and multiple security checkpoints along the route.\nA round-trip bus service is also being offered for $80, with pickup from two spots in New York City and one park-and-ride location in New Jersey. That park-and-ride site, in Clifton, is expected to accommodate roughly 2,500 vehicles, with spectators required to complete their journey by shuttle bus. Tailgating will not be permitted at MetLife during the tournament.\nThis week, Sherrill said it would cost the state $48m to safely transport an estimated 40,000 fans to and from each match, and framed the ticket increases as necessary to avoid taxpayers shouldering those costs.\n“In the Fifa World Cup agreement that my Administration inherited, Fifa put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans. It also 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. This agreement will cost NJ Transit at least $48 million, while Fifa is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup,” she wrote in a post on Friday.\n“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.”\nFifa pushed back on Sherrill’s comments, saying transport issues had been discussed well before the World Cup and that NJ Transit’s pricing model would have a “chilling effect”.\n“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 and memorable defined by the action on the pitch, not delays on the road,” World Cup chief event operations officer Heimo Schirigi said in a statement first reported by Front Office Sports.\n“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.”\nSchirigi also mentioned “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 to and from match venues, Fifa Fan Festival locations, airports and other areas critical to a positive fan experience”.\nNJ Transit also confirmed that there will be no outbound service from Penn Station available to non-ticket-holders for four hours before the start of the MetLife matches, a move that could impact a wide swath of regular commuters. Four of the eight matches at MetLife will take place on weekdays. Officials said the system is designed to move roughly 40,000 spectators per match, including about 28,000 via Penn Station and another 10,000 on shuttle buses.\nTo mitigate disruption, NJ Transit said regular riders would be able to use Path trains and buses at no cost on affected days, with additional Path service planned and employers encouraged to allow remote work. Riders affected by service changes on two of the matchdays, 22 June and 30 June, will receive discounts that Sherrill said have been funded by the NJ/NY host committee.\nSherrill, a Democrat, was elected New Jersey governor last year. Affordability was a key issue during her election race, and she has already announced the cancellation of the planned $5m fan festival at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The funds will instead be used to stage smaller watch parties and events throughout the state.\n“Commuters in New Jersey should not carry the costs years into the future for a wonderful event, no doubt, but the fans that are going to the games should bear the cost, and that’s all we’re trying to say,” NJ Transit chief executive Kris Kolluri said at a media briefing on Friday, Front Office Sports reported.\nWith parking opportunities set to be drastically reduced from their typical size at concerts and NFL games, ticket-holders are being encouraged to take public transit to games across the 11 US host cities. In its announcement, NJ Transit noted there would be “no general spectator parking on [MetLife] Stadium property on matchdays”; limited premium parking is listed as available for $225 in an ADA lot or at the American Dream mall next door, a 17-minute walk from the stadium. That pricing will be subject to demand, with availability expected to be limited. Rideshare users will be directed to drop-off points at the Meadowlands racetrack, requiring a walk of roughly one mile to the stadium.\nThe costs of those trips have been widely discussed, alongside the sky-high prices of match tickets. The Massachusetts transit authority has raised its prices for travel from Boston to Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium from $20 to $80.\nNot every host city has followed the same approach. Kansas City earlier this week unveiled plans for $15 bus shuttles to Arrowhead Stadium for matches, while Philadelphia’s transit authority said it would maintain its $2.90 fares for riders going to Lincoln Financial Field.",[],"selectedArticleImage","rootArticleImageUrl","consensusHtml","tweets",[],"userSchema","relatedArticles",[339,361,311],"actionData","errors"]

New Jersey Sets World Cup Transit Fares at $150 for Train Tickets

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