TRENTON—NJ Transit will charge $150 for a round-trip train ticket to the 2026 World Cup at MetLife Stadium. The normal fare is $12.90. FIFA's chief operating officer says the rate will have a "chilling effect" on fans.
The transit agency unveiled the plan on April 17, after its board authorized CEO Kris Kolluri to set transport prices covering all costs. Eight matches will run between June 13 and July 19, including the final. No general spectator parking will be available: fans face a $225 base parking at the adjacent American Dream mall, with surge pricing to $300. The final has already sold out.
The pricing is not arbitrary. NJ Transit says the event will cost $62 million in labor, security and infrastructure. With $14 million in outside grants, the remaining gap is $48 million, according to NJ Transit. Kolluri told reporters, "This isn't price gouging. We're literally trying to recoup our costs."
The $48 Million Tab
Governor Mikie Sherrill inherited the 2018 host city agreement, which originally required free fan transit. A 2023 amendment under her predecessor Phil Murphy shifted this to "at cost." Sherrill says that FIFA put zero dollars toward transportation for the tournament while positioning itself to generate $11 billion in revenue. She also directed NJ Transit to not subsidize World Cup riders on regular commuters' backs.
FIFA "should pay for the rides," Sherrill said. "But if they don't — I'm not going to let New Jersey get taken for one.
FIFA COO Heimo Schirgi fired back. He said the elevated fares "will have a chilling effect" and push fans toward alternative transportation, increasing congestion and diminishing the region's economic benefit. Schirgi called the demand that FIFA absorb costs "unprecedented," and noted that FIFA is a not-for-profit under Swiss law. The $11 billion figure reflects projected cycle revenue, not profit, according to Infantino and the World Football Summit.
NJ Transit's hardline stance has roots in 2014. The agency lost $5.6 million on Super Bowl XLVIII transit after ridership forecasts from three separate consultants collapsed. One firm predicted 32,000 rail passengers; the final count was 8,572. A 158-page report commissioned by NJ Transit documented the planning failures. Kolluri cited that trauma when defending the current pricing: "That's not what happens at a Taylor Swift concert."
NJ Transit faces a $2.21 billion operating deficit. The Corporate Transit Tax that generates roughly $789 million annually sunsets in 2028. The agency has identified $58 million in FY2026 savings including deferred hiring, reduced overtime and bus route efficiencies.
Penn Station Lockouts and Commuter Displacement
The plan restricts regular commuter access to New York Penn Station for four hours before each match. Only westbound service is affected; eastbound trains into Manhattan run normally. World Cup ticket holders enter via 33rd and 32nd Streets along Seventh Avenue. Secaucus Junction operates as the second security perimeter, with the Meadowlands transfer limited to ticket holders during match windows. Regular commuter trains on other lines continue outside the World Cup security zone.
During the restriction period, regular commuters can use their existing tickets for alternate travel at no additional cost on via from 33rd Street, or by NJ Transit buses from Port Authority Bus Terminal. After matches, trains on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Raritan Valley Line terminate at Newark Penn Station. Riders must transfer to PATH. The Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton lines will end at Newark Broad Street. Commuters there can take the Newark Light Rail to Penn Station and board the PATH.
Penn Station and Secaucus Junction restrictions apply to all eight matches. Kolluri testified on April 9 that only the June 22 evening match fell during peak commuting hours, with June 16, 25 and 30 in non-peak windows. The official plan released April 17 superseded that classification, adding June 30 as a second peak-commuting date. Discounts for commuters affected by the June 22 and June 30 restrictions are available through the NJ Transit mobile app only. Monthly pass holders get a 3 percent discount for June.
Federal Money and Legislative Skepticism
The Federal Transit Administration allocated $10,438,681 to the region in a March 6 apportionment table. White House task force director Andrew Giuliani says that the money could offset roughly $30 per ticket if applied to NJ Transit fares, though that number assumes the entire sum is allocated to NJT. No agency has determined if or how the funds will be split between NJ Transit, MTA and PATH, and NJ Transit has not said how much it anticipates receiving.
NJ Transit has budgeted $100 million in capital funds for a temporary bus terminal, a private bus contingency fleet and infrastructure improvements between MetLife and Secaucus Junction. That money comes from Federal Highway Administration flex funds and is separate from the operating gap. The agency also holds an $18.3 million emergency construction contract with Anselmi & DeCicco for a Secaucus-Meadowlands transitway.
State lawmakers are wary of open-ended spending authority. The proposed FY2026 budget contains Provision 110, an uncapped appropriation for World Cup costs that leaves the spending total to Office of Management and Budget discretion. State Senator John Burzichelli, a Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, called the event "a Trojan horse." Sherrill spokesperson Darwin Pham said the administration is "focused on taking the necessary measures to ensure this event runs smoothly and successfully" and that "every dollar will be carefully scrutinized." The Legislature has not yet voted on the appropriation.
Other Host Cities Taking Different Approaches
Some of the other host cities are keeping fares as-is, while others are hiking rates. Philadelphia's SEPTA will hold fares at $2.90, while Houston's METRO will maintain standard $1.25 fares and regular Park-and-Ride rates. Massachusetts is charging $80 round-trip. The disparity reflects different local cost structures and budget decisions. NJ Transit has not disclosed whether other host cities face comparable operating costs, or if they received different contractual terms from FIFA.
The $150 fare drew immediate criticism from New York officials. Sen. Chuck Schumer called it "a ripoff, plain and simple" and demanded FIFA cover costs. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said $150 "sounds awfully high to me." NYC Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu called it price gouging.
Shuttle tickets hit the market on April 17 from two Manhattan points: Port Authority Bus Terminal and Midtown East near Grand Central. They also went on sale from Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Clifton. Train tickets go on sale starting May 13. NJ Transit plans to sell 40,000 transit tickets per match, with 28,000 expected from Penn Station.
With scarce parking, no pedestrian access, and limited commuter access to Penn Station and Secaucus Junction restricted during match windows, fans face only a few transportation options priced at a significant premium. As the World Cup draws closer, NJ Transit approaches what may prove to be its greatest stress test in years. Whether the $150 fare holds or if it cracks under pressure will shape not just the tournament experience, but also the political legacy of a governor who inherited the deal.
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