New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has strongly criticized FIFA, holding the organization responsible for the significantly increased transportation costs that fans will face during this summer’s World Cup. Sherrill argues that world football’s governing body should subsidize these expenses to alleviate the burden on supporters.
Soaring Transport Costs Revealed
The Athletic recently reported that New Jersey Transit plans to implement special event pricing for the 30-minute journey from Penn Station in New York to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. A single train ticket to the games at the stadium could exceed $100 (£73.80), representing a seven-fold increase compared to the usual $12.90 (£9.50) for a return fare. Notably, no concession prices are planned, meaning children and seniors will also be required to pay the full fare.
MetLife Stadium, which will be temporarily renamed New York/New Jersey Stadium during the World Cup in line with FIFA’s policy on corporate sponsored names, is set to host eight matches, including a crucial England group game and the final on July 19. Similar price hikes have been observed for matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, outside Boston, where train fares have surged to $80 (£59), with coach tickets costing $95 (£70).
Governor Demands FIFA Contribution
Governor Sherrill has firmly stated that taxpayers and commuters should not be left to cover the cost of transporting World Cup supporters. She highlighted that FIFA stands to gain enormous sums from high ticket prices for the matches, while NJ Transit faces a substantial bill. “We inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup,” the governor posted on X. “And while NJ TRANSIT is stuck with a $48m bill to safely get fans to and from games, FIFA is making $11bn.” Sherrill emphasized, “I’m not going to stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years to come. FIFA should pay for the rides. But if they don’t – I’m not going to let New Jersey get taken for one.” BBC Sport understands that NJ Transit is expected to officially confirm pricing on Friday.
FIFA Expresses Surprise, Cites Agreement Changes
A FIFA spokesperson expressed being “surprised” by Governor Sherrill’s comments. The organization stated that supporters were expected to be able to travel “at cost” and noted that there was no increased pricing for other major events at the venue. The spokesperson clarified that the original FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City Agreements, signed in 2018, required free transportation for fans to all matches. However, “Recognizing the financial strain this placed on the host cities, back in 2023 FIFA adjusted the Host Agreement requirements across all host cities as follows: All match ticket holders and accredited individuals shall be able to access transport (public or additionally planned transport) at cost to allow travel to stadiums on match days.” FIFA also mentioned working with host cities on transportation plans, including advocating for millions of dollars in federal funding, and underscored the significant economic impact the World Cup will bring to North America.
Impact on Fans and Additional Costs
The elevated prices in New Jersey and Foxborough are expected to significantly affect fans, including those from England and Scotland. The Three Lions are scheduled to play Ghana in Foxborough on June 23, then head to MetLife to face Panama on June 27. Steve Clarke’s Scotland team has two games in Foxborough, against Haiti on June 13 and Morocco on June 19. Beyond transport, parking costs at stadiums are also notably high, with a space at MetLife costing $225 (£166) and Foxborough priced at $175 (£129) for one car.
#WorldCup2026 #FIFATransport #NewJersey #MetLifeStadium #FanCosts #MikieSherrill #NJTransit #FootballFans #HostCity #WorldCup
Leave a Reply