New Jersey's transit agency has confirmed that supporters travelling to World Cup fixtures at MetLife Stadium this summer will pay $150 for a return train ticket from New York's Penn Station — a fare roughly eleven times the standard price of $12.90 for the same journey, according to the Guardian.
The pricing structure was set out at a briefing on Friday. Beyond the train option, those wishing to drive face parking charges of as much as $225 at the mall adjacent to the stadium. A bus alternative has also been confirmed at $80 return, offering the most affordable of the three options made available to travelling supporters.
The scale of the increases has prompted considerable criticism from fans in the days since details first emerged, and has drawn New Jersey's governor, Mikie Sherrill, into a public disagreement with Fifa over who bears responsibility for the cost burden placed on those attending matches. The Guardian reports that the exchange between Sherrill and world football's governing body has sharpened as prices across the tournament continue to mount.
MetLife Stadium, situated in East Rutherford, is one of the marquee venues for the 2026 tournament, which is being co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The stadium's capacity and location in the wider New York metropolitan area made it an obvious selection for high-profile fixtures, though the logistical challenges of moving large numbers of supporters from the city to a venue in New Jersey have long been understood to require careful planning.
What the confirmed prices make clear is that the cost of attendance extends well beyond the ticket itself. For a supporter arriving by train from Penn Station, the $150 return fare alone represents a significant outlay before food, accommodation, or the match ticket is considered. Whether Fifa, the state, or the transit agency absorbs any political pressure in the weeks ahead remains to be seen, but the dispute between Sherrill and football's governing body suggests the question of who is accountable for these charges is unlikely to be settled quietly.