Fewer Than 6% of NJ Transit World Cup Train Seats Sold

Fewer Than 6% of NJ Transit World Cup Train Seats Sold

With MetLife Stadium set to host its first FIFA World Cup 2026 match the following Saturday, NJ Transit had sold only 17,739 train tickets across the full eight-game slate at MetLife as of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, according to reporting by The Athletic. That figure represents less than 6% of the 320,000 tickets available, against a planning target of 40,000 riders per match.

The low uptake comes after a public dispute over pricing and funding. NJ Transit and the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee initially set round-trip fares at $150 – compared with a standard $12.90 Penn Station-to-MetLife ticket – before additional private funding allowed the price to be reduced to $98. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill publicly pressed FIFA to cover transportation costs, stating that the existing agreement left NJ Transit with a $48 million operating bill while FIFA contributed nothing. FIFA responded that it was “quite surprised” by the approach, arguing that event organizers are not customarily required to fund fan transportation at MetLife Stadium for major events.

Operational constraints are also shaping travel choices. NJ Transit service into and out of New York will be suspended for all non-World Cup passengers beginning four hours before each match. No parking will be available at MetLife Stadium on game days, and rideshare vehicles will be barred from stadium property, with drop-offs redirected to an area near the adjacent racetrack. Transit officials have advised fans to purchase train tickets in advance, as they will not be on sale on match days; departure windows currently range from one to five hours before kickoff, though specific train schedules had not been published as of Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches in total, beginning with Brazil versus Morocco, and will stage the tournament final on July 19. Whether ticket sales accelerate as opening day approaches remains to be seen, but the current figures leave NJ Transit’s per-game ridership targets well short of what planners had anticipated.