NJ Transit World Cup Rail Tickets Draw Fewer Than 18,000 Buyers
With MetLife Stadium set to host its first FIFA World Cup 2026 match next Saturday, fewer than 18,000 train tickets have been sold across all eight of the venue's scheduled games - a figure that represents less than six percent of total available capacity. NJ Transit had projected transporting 40,000 passengers per match, putting 320,000 round-trip tickets on sale for the full slate. According to The Athletic, only 17,739 tickets had been purchased as of Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
The round-trip fare from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium was originally set at $150 - compared with a standard one-way ticket price of $12.90 - before additional private funding allowed the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee and NJ Transit to reduce the price to $98. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill publicly challenged FIFA over the cost structure, stating that the governing body had committed no funding toward fan transportation and that NJ Transit faced a $48 million operational bill to service the eight matches. "FIFA should pay for the rides," Sherrill said in a recorded video address. FIFA responded that it was "quite surprised" by the governor's approach, arguing that no other major event previously held at the stadium had required organizers to cover fan transportation costs.
Tickets must be purchased in advance; they will not be available on match day. As of Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET, train schedules had not yet been published, though tickets are on sale within departure windows ranging from one to five hours before kickoff. On game days, NJ Transit service into and out of New York will be suspended for general passengers beginning four hours before each match, with access restricted to World Cup ticket holders. No parking will be available at MetLife Stadium, and rideshare vehicles will not be permitted on stadium property; drop-offs will be directed to an area near the adjacent racetrack.
MetLife Stadium is hosting eight World Cup matches in total, including the tournament final on July 19. The first match at the venue features Brazil against Morocco. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri has briefed stakeholders on the agency's operational preparations, which are described as among the most demanding in the transit system's history for a single event series. Whether ticket sales accelerate as the opening match approaches remains to be seen, but the current uptake leaves organizers with significant ground to close before the tournament begins.
