Soccer fans attending World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this summer face a staggering $150 (£111) round-trip train fare from New York City, officials confirmed on Friday. The fare is nearly twelve times the regular $12.90 (£9.50) charge for the 15-minute journey from Manhattan's Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford.
With on-site parking largely unavailable, New Jersey authorities expect around 40,000 fans per match to rely on mass transit. MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches, including the final on 19 July, with group stage games starting 13 June featuring teams such as Brazil, France, Germany, and England.
NJ Transit justified the increase as necessary to cover costs. The agency plans to spend $62 million (£46.2 million) transporting fans, with only $14 million (£10.3 million) offset by external grants. “This isn’t price gouging,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”
Governor Mikie Sherrill has urged Fifa to cover the expenses, stating: “If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ Transit every day.” Similarly high prices are expected for matches at Gillette Stadium in Boston, where express buses cost $95 (£70) and round-trip train tickets are $80 (£59)—four times the usual $20.
Other host cities have kept fares unchanged, citing $100 million (£73.9 million) in US transit grants. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, and Kansas City have maintained regular prices. Fifa criticised the fare hike, noting that host city agreements signed in 2018 stipulated free fan transportation, and argued that no other major event at MetLife required such payments.
