Fifa has pushed back against criticism from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill over steep train fares for World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, saying the pricing could cause wider operational issues beyond the financial burden on fans.
Sherrill said supporters face $150 fares for the roughly 30-minute NJ Transit ride from New York to the stadium and argued Fifa should help subsidise public transport. There are no concession fares for children or seniors, and shuttle bus tickets are being offered at $80. Tickets to Gillette Stadium near Boston have also risen, with some train fares at $80 and coach tickets priced around $95.
Heimo Schirgi, Fifa’s chief operating officer for the tournament, warned that the current pricing approach could have a chilling effect, pushing fans away from public transit and toward private cars or other options. That shift, he said, would increase congestion, cause late arrivals, and produce ripple effects that could reduce the tournament’s economic benefits and long-term legacy for the region. Fifa says its goals include minimising congestion, encouraging mass transit use and ensuring fans’ experiences are defined by what happens on the pitch rather than travel delays.
Sherrill posted on X that her administration inherited a deal where Fifa is providing no funding for transportation while NJ Transit faces a $48m bill, and she noted organisers will earn significant tournament revenue. Schirgi countered that it is unprecedented to demand Fifa absorb host transportation costs, disputed a claim that organisers would pocket $11bn as profit (saying the figure refers to revenue), and reiterated that Fifa is a not-for-profit body that reinvests World Cup income into football development worldwide.
Fifa also pointed out that host city agreements were signed in 2018 and said it has been coordinating with the local host committee to develop a transport plan aimed at delivering efficient, accessible mass-transit options for the eight matches scheduled in New Jersey, including an England group game and the final on 19 July.