Luke Hales/Getty Images
Plenty of soccer fans have been priced out of attending a World Cup game this summer due to how much tickets are going for, but that’s far from the only expense most spectators will be forced to stomach. Transportation costs also have the potential to add up, and that will seemingly be the case if you rely on NJ Transit to get to MetLife Stadium for a match.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico will be serving as the three hosts for the 2026 World Cup. The international showdown isn’t slated to get underway until June, but it’s already managed to generate plenty of controversy due to the amount of money most fans will need to fork over if they want to experience the tournament in person.
The World Cup is both a massive operation that requires hosts to shoulder billions of dollars in costs and an incredibly lucrative one for the parties that are able to cash in on the hype surrounding it.
Many fans have accused FIFA of running a bit of a racket with the “dynamic pricing” that inflated the already-steep tickets to games, and it’s also earning a 30% commission that’s helped drive up the cost of the ones changing hands on the secondary market (the get-in price for group stage games currently ranges from a few hundred dollars to well over $1,000).
However, the governing body isn’t the only organization taking advantage of the hype around the World Cup, as it looks like New Jersey’s public transportation agency is also getting in on the action.
Fans who want to take NJ Transit to a World Cup game will reportedly be charged over $100 for a train ride from New York City to MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium is one of the 11 venues in the United States that have been tapped for the World Cup, and home of the Jets and Giants will be trading one type of football for another when it hosts eight games (including the final) between June 13th and July 19th.
Most people who attend those games will be staying in New York City, and while there are a number of ways to get to East Rutherford, hopping on an NJ Transit train from Penn Station to Meadowlands Station is one of the most painless.
According to The Athletic, that ride (which can take between 30 minutes and an hour depending on how long you wait to transfer at Secaucus Junction) will usually set you back $12.90. However, the outlet reports NJ Transit will be hiking the price to “over $100” for World Cup games and declining to offer any discounts for the children, seniors, and disabled passengers who are usually permitted to ride at a reduced rate.
A spokesperson did not deny that will be the case while issuing a statement in response to that report, saying, “The ticket prices for match day travel have not been finalized and any reference to cost would be unconfirmed speculation” before adding “the cost for the eight matches will not be borne by our regular commuters (a source said NJ Transit will be spending around $48 million to cover the cost of operations for the special trains that will run during World Cup games).
It’s worth noting they’re not the only public transportation operation taking a similar approach. The MBTA is charging people $80 for a round-trip on the commuter rail from Boston to Foxborough for games at Gillette Stadium, and organizers overseeing those matches are also offering a bus that will cost you $95 to ride.