NJ Transit tickets to World Cup matches at MetLife could cost more than $100
Credit: Peyton Clough on Unsplash
With FIFA World Cup ticket prices already high, fans attending matches at MetLife Stadium this summer could face additional costs, as NJ Transit considers charging more than $100 for return rail tickets. As first reported by the Athletic, fares for the 18-mile trip could rise sevenfold, from $12.90 to more than $100, without standard discounts for seniors, children, and riders with disabilities. However, ticket prices have yet to be confirmed, with final transportation costs expected to be announced in the coming days, according to an agency spokesperson.
MetLife Stadium is hosting eight World Cup matches this summer, including five group-stage games on June 13, 16, 22, 26, and 27, a round of 32 match on June 30, a round of 16 match on July 5, and the final on July 19, as 6sqft previously reported.
The tri-state area is expected to see an influx of visitors as soccer fans from around the world converge for the tournament. NJ Transit has been preparing for the event, including plans to restrict access to parts of New York’s Penn Station to ticket holders for several hours before matches, then shuttle attendees to Secaucus Junction, where they will transfer to trains bound for the stadium.
An anonymous NJ Transit source told The Athletic that providing rail service for the eight matches, including accounting for disruptions, could cost the agency up to $48 million. The source also said FIFA’s security requirements are so strict that the matches will require the highest level security perimeter of any event hosted in New Jersey.
As a result, the agency says it may have to pass those costs on to either taxpayers or event attendees. Officials say the pricing structure is not intended for profit but to avoid losses or additional burden on local taxpayers.
The NY/NJ Host Committee and NJ Transit did not respond to requests for comment from The Athletic on whether discounted fares will be offered for children, seniors, or riders with disabilities, which are typically available on NJ Transit trips from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium.
Rail service will be critical to attendees, as no public parking will be available in the lots surrounding the venue. Instead, the lots will instead be used for “fan engagement” and “enhanced security,” significantly limiting parking capacity, according to NJ.com.
The higher rates mark another hefty price tag added to World Cup attendees’ expenses. According to NPR, the most expensive “Category 1” ticket to the final now costs $10,990, significantly higher than the $6,730 price when sales first launched last year.
In a post on X, Chuck Schumer called on FIFA to cover transportation costs for host cities, saying fans should not be “gouged” on travel.
“FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” Schumer said. “The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile.”
“I am demanding FIFA step up and cover transportation costs for host cities and states. New York commuters and residents should not subsidize an $11 billion windfall,” he added.
NJ joins several other U.S. states and cities in increasing transportation costs for World Cup ticket holders this summer. Last month, the Massachusetts MBTA said it planned to raise fares for travel from Boston to Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium from the usual $20 to more than $75.
That pricing was confirmed last week, when the MBTA announced return trips would cost $80. Separately, the agency also indicated that its alternative bus service to the stadium would cost $95 per seat, according to The Athletic.
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