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Getting to World Cup games at MetLife Stadium by train this summer will reportedly be a little cheaper than originally planned.
After NJ Transit and the FIFA New York and New Jersey Host Committee initially announced $150 round-trip tickets from New York Penn Station to New Jersey Stadium, tickets will now be reduced to $105.
NJ Transit said it received monetary support from “sponsors and other sources,” so prices were able to be lowered, according to The Athletic.
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NJ Transit passengers get off a train at Penn Station in New York in June 2025. (James M. O’Neill/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
After the initial prices were set, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and FIFA had a dispute, with the governor saying that FIFA should pay for the train tickets. FIFA criticized Sherrill’s “unprecedented” plan, adding that expensive train tickets would have a “chilling effect” on the fan experience.
“Governor Sherrill has been clear that FIFA should help transport its fans to World Cup games. Since it has not done so, she directed NJ Transit to seek private, non-taxpayer funding to significantly reduce the fare,” a spokesperson for Sherrill told The Athletic. “The Governor thanks all the businesses who have already stepped up to reduce costs for ticket holders. She will continue to ensure that the World Cup is an experience that benefits fans and all New Jerseyans.”
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the $150 train tickets, saying the ultimate cost to the transit company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.
Commuters move through the NJ Transit section of Penn Station in New York City on May 20, 2025, after NJ Transit resumed operations following a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike by train engineers. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
FIFA RESPONDS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW JERSEY, MIKIE SHERILL, FOR THE DEMAND TO PAY TRANSIT TICKETS FOR THE WORLD CUP
“It’s an exciting time for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and the world. Equally important, (Sherrill) has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans to the game, because that wouldn’t be fair,” Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.
“To transport 40,000 people and pay the cost of $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150.”
The CEO said that if the $12.90 regular fare were implemented, travelers would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.
Parking has been banned at MetLife Stadium and rideshares will be limited, meaning an increase in NJ Transit Trips.
Transit officials are preparing for unprecedented numbers of riders during World Cup games this summer. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
New York Penn Station will also be open only to game attendees beginning four hours before kickoff, and area residents are urged to avoid non-essential NJ Transit travel on game days.
The first game at MetLife Stadium is June 13.
