NEWARK, N.J. — Soccer enthusiasts planning to attend World Cup matches this spring will face sticker shock beyond just ticket prices when traveling to certain U.S. venues.
Transportation authorities announced Friday that soccer fans traveling from New York City to MetLife Stadium will pay $150 for round-trip train service during each match.
The steep price represents nearly a twelve-fold increase from the standard $12.90 cost for the approximately 15-minute journey covering 9 miles from Penn Station in Manhattan to the East Rutherford, New Jersey venue. With stadium parking unavailable to most attendees, New Jersey authorities project roughly 40,000 spectators will rely on public transportation for each game.
MetLife Stadium, which serves as home field for both the New York Giants and New York Jets, will welcome eight World Cup contests, culminating with the championship match on July 19. Tournament group play featuring soccer giants Brazil, France, Germany and England, plus additional countries, kicks off June 13.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill defended the price hike as essential to prevent state commuters from being saddled with a “tab for years to come” as the World Cup returns to American soil for the first time since 1994.
NJ Transit leadership revealed that fan transportation throughout the tournament will require $62 million, with external funding covering just $14 million of projected costs.
“This isn’t price gouging,” declared NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri during Friday’s press briefing. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”
Boston-area World Cup attendees will also encounter elevated transportation expenses.
Express bus service from multiple pickup points to Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots, will run $95, authorities revealed this week.
Additionally, thousands of supporters have already purchased $80 round-trip rail passes from Boston to the commuter station serving the stadium. This rate quadruples the typical $20 charge for round-trip service during game days and special occasions. Unlike MetLife’s proximity to downtown, Gillette sits in Foxborough, roughly 30 miles south of Boston.
Several other World Cup host locations, including Los Angeles and Philadelphia, have committed to maintaining standard transit pricing, highlighting that federal authorities allocated approximately $100 million in transportation grants to host communities for enhanced bus and rail operations.
Kansas City operates shuttle service from various city locations to Arrowhead Stadium for just $15 round-trip, plus complimentary airport-to-downtown bus service. Houston, hosting seven World Cup matches, expanded its bus and rail capacity for fans while maintaining existing rates: $1.25 for buses and light rail, with park-and-ride options between $2 and $4.50.
However, New Jersey’s governor, a Democrat who assumed office in January, stated her administration inherited arrangements where FIFA, soccer’s international governing organization, provided “$0 for transportation” while leaving the state’s financially struggling transit system “stuck with a $48 million bill.”
“FIFA should pay for the rides. But if they don’t — I’m not going to let New Jersey get taken for one,” Sherrill wrote in a Wednesday social media message.
FIFA rejected these claims, emphasizing that 2018 agreements with World Cup host cities required complimentary fan transportation to all matches. The organization also noted that previous major events at MetLife weren’t required to fund fan transit.
“We are quite surprised by the NJ Governor’s approach today on fan transportation,” FIFA stated Thursday as news of the fare increase spread. “FIFA worked for years with host cities on transportation and mobility plans, including advocating for millions of dollars in federal funding to support host cities for transportation.”
The dramatic MetLife fare increase also prompted criticism from New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
“Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me,” the Democrat wrote on X earlier this week.
Sports publication The Athletic initially reported the surge pricing.
Alternative transportation to MetLife Stadium games carries similarly steep costs. Limited parking spaces at the adjacent American Dream Mall are being pre-sold for $225.
