Soccer fans heading to FIFA World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium this summer may face a transportation bill nearly as expensive as the ticket prices.
New Jersey Transit officials announced Friday in a press release that round-trip train tickets from Manhattan’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will cost $150 per person for World Cup match days. It usually costs $12.90 to make the 9-mile trip from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Officials also said in their press release that the stadium bus shuttle services will cost $80 per round-trip.
The stadium, which will host eight matches, including the July 19 final, is expected to draw more than 78,000 fans per game who will largely rely on public transit because most on-site parking will be unavailable. According to NJ Transit officials, however, only 40,000 train tickets will be sold per match day at the new price point, and they must be purchased in advance.
“This isn’t price gouging,” NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri said on Friday during a press briefing. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”
The steep fare hike has sparked backlash from state leaders on both sides of the Hudson. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the state was left with a massive transportation bill after FIFA failed to contribute transit funding.
“We have inherited an agreement in which FIFA doesn’t contribute a single dollar toward transportation for the World Cup. And while NJ Transit is left with a $48 million bill to safely transport 40,000 fans from the stadium to wherever they’re headed, FIFA is generating $11 billion from this World Cup,” Sherrill wrote on X.
“I won’t stick N.J. commuters with that tab for years to come, that’s not fair,” Sherrill added. “FIFA should pay for the rides, but if they don’t, I’m not going to let N.J. commuters be taken for one.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, however, said on X earlier this week that “charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high” to her.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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