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An already expensive World Cup trip just got even more expensive, as NJ Transit and FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare increases to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year.
Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will host those games, June 13 through 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, compared to the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying the ultimate cost to the public transportation company should not be the burden on New Jersey commuters.
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Kris Kolluri, CEO of NJ Transit, and Alex Lasry, CEO of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Host Committee in New York, New Jersey, speak during a press briefing on the regional mobility plan for the World Cup in Newark, New Jersey, April 17, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is an exciting time for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic position in the country and the world. Just as importantly, she said New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the travel of fans going to the game because that would not be fair,” Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament would cost NJ Transit $48 million.
“To move 40,000 people and pay $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150.”
The CEO said if the regular $12.90 fare were implemented, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.
“No one I’ve talked to thinks this is fair or reasonable. New Jersey commuters definitely shouldn’t bear the cost of a wonderful event in years to come. But the fans who go to the games should bear the cost, that’s all we’re trying to say,” Kolluri added.
Days after New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said FIFA should cover travel 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 said in a social media post Friday.
A general view of MetLife Stadium and Meadowlands Station is seen from an NJ Transit train ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal game 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 New Jersey’s transit fare increases for the World Cup will have a “scary effect,” tearing up New Jersey Governor Sherrill again.
“Since I took office, my administration has worked to prepare for the largest sporting event our state has ever seen – and today, NJ TRANSIT released 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 dedicated zero dollars to transporting World Cup fans. It also eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, effectively forcing the charge to transport four times as many riders as usual for an event at the stadium on NJ TRANSIT The deal will cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA stands to make $11 billion during the World Cup.
“As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the transportation costs of its fans. If it does not, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders at the expense of the people of New Jersey who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”
The price increases, however, did not please FIFA. In a scathing statement to PK Press Club Digital, World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi said “the current pricing model will have a chilling effect,” including traffic jams, late arrivals and “wider ripple effects that will ultimately diminish the economic benefits and lasting legacy the entire region can derive from hosting the World Cup.”
Schirgi also criticized Sherrill for her “unprecedented” demand to have FIFA pay for travel expenses.
“No other major global event, concert or sports organizer has faced such demand. While FIFA is expected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profits, as the governor falsely claims, FIFA has always been a non-profit organization according to our statutes. Revenue from the FIFA World Cup is reinvested in the development of football, particularly for youth and women, around the world,” Schirgi said.
Commuters move through the NJ Transit section of Penn Station in New York on May 20, 2025, after NJ Transit resumed operations following a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike by rail engineers. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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Parking has been prohibited at MetLife Stadium and carpooling will be extremely limited, leading to an increase in NJ Transit commutes.
New York’s Penn Station will also only be open to spectators four hours before games start, and fans have been asked to avoid non-essential NJ Transit travel on game days.
