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Getting to World Cup games at MetLife Stadium by train this summer will reportedly be slightly cheaper than originally planned.
After NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee initially announced $150 round-trip tickets from New York Penn Station to the New Jersey stadium, tickets will now be lowered to $105.
NJ Transit said it received financial support from “sponsors and other sources” so the fares were able to be lowered, according to The Athletic.
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NJ Transit riders get off a train at New York Penn Station in June 2025. (James M. O’Neill/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
After the original prices were set, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and FIFA got into an argument, with the governor saying FIFA should pay for the train tickets. FIFA criticized Sherrill’s “unprecedented” plan, adding that the expensive train tickets would have a “chilling effect” on the fan experience.
“Governor Sherrill has been aware that FIFA needed to contribute to transporting its fans to World Cup games. When that has not been the case, she directed NJ Transit to seek private and non-taxpayer funding to significantly reduce fares,” a Sherrill spokesperson told The Athletic. “The governor appreciates all the companies that have already stepped up to lower costs for ticket holders. She will continue to ensure the World Cup is an experience that benefits fans and all New Jerseyans.”
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the $150 train tickets, saying the ultimate cost to the public transit company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.
Commuters move through the NJ Transit section of Penn Station in New York City on May 20, 2025, after NJ Transit resumed operations following a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike by train engineers. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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“It’s an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Just as importantly, (Sherrill) has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair,” Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.
“To move 40,000 people and pay for the $6 million cost (per game), we have to charge $150.”
The chief executive said if the $12.90 regular fare was introduced, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.
Parking has been banned at MetLife Stadium and carpooling will be limited, meaning an increase in NJ Transit commuters.
Transit officials are preparing for an unprecedented number of riders during World Cup matches this summer. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
New York Penn Station will also only be open to game-goers beginning four hours before kickoff, and area residents were encouraged to avoid non-essential NJ Transit travel on game days.
The first game at MetLife Stadium is June 13.
