Fifa has rejected criticism from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill over steep train fares for the 2026 World Cup, saying the inflated prices will cause problems beyond hurting fans’ wallets.
Sherrill blamed Fifa for supporters facing $150 (£111) fares for the roughly 30-minute NJ Transit trip from New York to MetLife Stadium and said the governing body should subsidise public transport for World Cup matches. There are no concession fares, so children and seniors would also pay the full $150; shuttle bus tickets are priced at $80 (£59).
Heimo Schirgi, Fifa’s chief operating officer for the tournament, warned that NJ Transit’s current pricing model “will have a chilling effect.” He said Fifa’s objectives include minimising congestion, reducing reliance on private vehicles and ensuring fans’ experiences are defined by on-pitch action rather than travel delays. Schirgi added that elevated fares are likely to push fans toward other transport options, increasing congestion and late arrivals and creating ripple effects that could reduce the economic benefits and lasting legacy for the region.
MetLife Stadium — renamed New York/New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup under Fifa’s rules on corporate names — will host eight matches, including an England group game and the final on 19 July. Train fares to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, outside Boston, have also risen, with tickets at $80 (£59) and coach tickets at $95 (£70).
Sherrill posted on X that her administration “inherited an agreement where Fifa is providing $0 for transportation” while NJ Transit faces a $48m (£35m) bill, and said tournament organisers will make $11bn (£8.1bn). Schirgi responded that demanding Fifa absorb transportation costs is unprecedented. He disputed the governor’s profit claim, saying the projected $11bn refers to revenue, not profit, and emphasised that Fifa is a not-for-profit organisation whose World Cup revenues are reinvested into developing football worldwide, especially for youth and women.
Schirgi noted host city agreements were signed in 2018 and said Fifa has worked with the host committee to develop a transportation plan intended to provide efficient, accessible mass-transit options for fans attending the eight matches in New Jersey.
