Key Takeaways
- Return train ticket from New York to MetLife Stadium set at $150 (about Sh 19,500) for all fans, with no discounts.
- Car parking beside the stadium can cost up to $225, and tailgating is banned during the tournament.
- New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill blames FIFA for refusing to pay transport costs, while FIFA warns high prices will push fans onto already-crowded roads.
Kenyan supporters planning to watch the 2026 World Cup final in the United States will have to dig deep into their pockets just to reach the venue.
New Jersey’s state rail company, NJ Transit, has announced a flat return fare of $150—roughly Sh 19,500—for every passenger travelling from Manhattan’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium, the 82 000-seat arena that will stage the final on 19 July. The usual price for the same 25-minute journey is $12.90.
There will be no cheaper child, senior or disability tickets. Each traveller must buy a special “World Cup” pass that comes with a wristband guaranteeing a seat on a timed return train. Parking a car beside the ground will cost up to $225, and fans will not be allowed to grill food or hold tail-gate parties.
An $80 shuttle-bus option will run from two points in New York City and one park-and-ride lot in Clifton, New Jersey, but even that is four times the normal fare.
Governor Mikie Sherrill says her government inherited a deal in which FIFA contributes nothing to local transport yet bans most stadium parking. She estimates that moving about 40 000 spectators per match will cost NJ Transit at least $48 million, while FIFA is expected to earn $11 billion from the tournament.
“We will not ask ordinary New Jersey commuters to subsidise World Cup tickets,” Sherrill told reporters on Friday.
FIFA hit back, claiming the steep prices will scare fans into cars and cause traffic chaos. “Other host cities kept transit fares low to welcome visitors,” said chief event officer Heimo Schirigi. “High fares risk late arrivals and hurt the region’s reputation.”
To limit disruption, only fans with match tickets may board trains to the stadium in the four hours before kick-off. Regular commuters will be offered free PATH trains and buses on affected days, and employers have been asked to let staff work from home when four weekday games are played.
Despite the outcry, NJ Transit says the charges are necessary to avoid cutting everyday services or raising taxes. The row underlines the growing cost of attending a World Cup, with ticket prices already soaring and transport fees now adding hundreds of dollars to a single day out.