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An already expensive trip to the World Cup just got even more expensive, when NJ Transit and the FIFA New York and New Jersey Host Committee announced fare increases to attend eight games at MetLife Stadium this year.
The stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will host those games, beginning on June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a round-trip train ticket to and from New York’s Penn Station and MetLife Stadium will cost $150, down from the usual $12.90. Transfers are also available for $80.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare increases Friday, saying the ultimate cost to the transit company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.
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Kris Kolluri, CEO of NJ Transit, and Alex Lasry, CEO of the 2026 FIFA World Cup New York and New Jersey Host Committee, speak during a news conference on the regional mobility plan for the World Cup in Newark, New Jersey, on April 17, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
“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, she has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans to the game, because that would not 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%.
“No one I’ve talked to thinks that’s fair or reasonable. Commuters in New Jersey shouldn’t be saddled with the cost of a wonderful event for years into the future, certainly. But fans who go to the games should be saddled with the cost, that’s all we’re trying to say,” Kolluri added.
Days after New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said FIFA should pay travelers’ costs, she did so again shortly after the fare increases 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 on Friday.
A general view of MetLife Stadium and the Meadowlands Train Station is seen from a NJ Transit train before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 9, 2025. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
FIFA SAYS NJ TRANSIT FARE INCREASES FOR WORLD CUP WILL HAVE A ‘COOLING EFFECT’, AGAIN RIPS NJ GOVERNMENT SHERRILL
“Since I took office, my administration has been working to prepare for the largest sporting event our state has ever seen, and today, NJ TRANSIT launched its Mobility Plan to move 40,000 fans to and from each game safely and efficiently. In the FIFA World Cup deal my administration inherited, FIFA allocated zero dollars to transport World Cup fans. It also eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, which represents the burden of transportation four times more game day passengers than typical for an in-stadium event at NJ TRANSIT. This deal cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to earn $11 billion during the World Cup.
“As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transportation for its fans. If it doesn’t, we won’t be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders at the expense of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”
The fee increases, however, did not please FIFA. In a scathing statement to Pak Gazette Digital, World Cup chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi said “the current pricing model will have a chilling effect,” including congestion, late arrivals and “broader ripple effects that will ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain by hosting the World Cup.”
Schirgi also criticized Sherrill for his “unprecedented” request that FIFA pay his travel costs.
“No other global event, concert or major sports promoter has faced such a lawsuit. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a non-profit organization under our statutes. Revenue from the FIFA World Cup is reinvested in the development of soccer, particularly for youth and women, around the world,” Schirgi said.
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)
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Parking has been banned at MetLife Stadium and carpooling will be extremely limited, resulting in increased NJ Transit trips.
New York Penn Station will also be open only to game attendees beginning four hours before kickoff, and fans have been urged to avoid non-essential NJ Transit travel on game days.
