2026 World Cup Transport Fare Increases Spark Fury: ‘It’s Unacceptable’

According to a report from The Athletic, New Jersey Transit is set to charge supporters over $100 (£74) for travel from Penn Station in Manhattan to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the World Cup. Typically, a return ticket for this route costs just $12.90 (£9.52).

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced earlier this month that a return ticket from Boston to Gillette Stadium will be $80 (£59), a significant increase from the regular event-day fare of $20 (£14.77).

“It’s absolutely scandalous. In previous tournaments, transport either came included with the ticket or was offered at a significantly reduced rate for ticket holders,” remarked Guillaume Aupretre, a spokesperson for France’s primary supporters’ group, in comments to AFP.

“They keep loading on the additional costs with no regard for the fans,” he added, accusing FIFA, the governing body of world football, of prioritising the wealthy while neglecting the most loyal supporters.

France is set to play all three of its Group I matches in Boston and New Jersey.

“Another day, and another overcharge at this World Cup. What on earth is happening?” the Free Lions, an organisation for travelling England fans, tweeted.

England also has group matches lined up at the venues in Boston and New Jersey.

‘Excessively high’

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill placed the blame for the price increases squarely on FIFA, highlighting a $48 million (£35.5m) bill the state must manage to ensure fan safety during the eight games at MetLife Stadium.

“I refuse to burden New Jersey commuters with that expense for years to come; that’s simply not fair,” Sherrill asserted on social media, emphasising that FIFA is poised to reap $11 billion (£8.125bn) from the World Cup.

“So here’s the crux of the matter: FIFA should cover the transportation costs, and if they fail to do so, I won’t allow New Jersey commuters to shoulder the burden.”

This opinion was echoed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who took to social media on Tuesday to declare that FIFA should be responsible for the transport costs to World Cup venues.

FIFA, already under fire for the astronomical prices of match tickets, issued a strongly-worded statement denouncing the transport price increases.

The organisation stated that the initial host city agreements “mandated free transportation for fans to all matches.”

They further clarified that a re-negotiation established that transport would be provided “at cost” on match days.

“We are rather surprised by the approach taken by the New Jersey Governor regarding fan transportation,” FIFA remarked.

“The FIFA World Cup will attract millions of fans to North America along with significant economic benefits.”

They added: “FIFA is not aware of any other major event previously held at the NYNJ Stadium, including other major sports and global concert tours, where organisers have been required to cover transportation costs for fans.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also expressed her discontent about the reported fare hikes.

“Charging over $100 for a short train ride strikes me as excessively high,” Hochul commented on X.

When contacted by AFP, NJ Transit did not respond to requests for comment.

The Athletic quoted a spokesperson for the agency stating that no final decision had been made regarding World Cup ticket pricing, labelling the reports as “unconfirmed speculation.”

In total, $100 million (£74m) in U.S. federal funding has been allocated to host cities for transit network expenses, including $8.7 million (£6.4m) for Boston and Massachusetts, and $10.4 million (£7.7m) for the New York-New Jersey region, according to local media.

Meanwhile, LA’s transit agency has received $9.6 million (£7m) and recently affirmed that standard fares to SoFi Stadium, which are generally $3.50 (£2.58) for a round trip from downtown Los Angeles, would not be increased on World Cup match days.