Sports

NJ Governor Demands FIFA Pay After $100 Train Fare Plan Surfaces

By Curtis Jones · April 16, 2026

The World Cup is coming to MetLife Stadium this summer. New Jersey is already fighting over who picks up the tab to get there.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill joined Senator Chuck Schumer Wednesday in publicly demanding that FIFA contribute toward transit costs for the 2026 tournament — after a report surfaced that NJ Transit is considering charging more than $100 for a return train ticket between New York Penn Station and the Meadowlands stadium complex. The standard fare for that trip is $12.90.

The numbers Sherrill put on the table made the argument bluntly. According to ESPN, she posted on X: “We inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup. And while NJ TRANSIT is stuck with a $48 million bill to safely get fans to and from games, FIFA is making $11 billion. I’m not going to stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years to come.”

Her conclusion was direct: “FIFA should pay for the rides.”

The transit situation at MetLife is more constrained than at most World Cup venues. Parking will be significantly restricted at the Meadowlands complex during matches — meaning public transit isn’t just the most convenient option, it may be the only realistic one for most fans. MetLife is hosting eight World Cup matches, including the tournament final on July 19. The New York-New Jersey metro area is expected to be one of the most visited destinations of the entire tournament.

Schumer had flagged the issue Monday. “FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” he wrote, calling on FIFA to “step up.”

FIFA responded with a statement noting it had originally required host cities to provide free transportation for fans before adjusting those requirements in 2023 to “transport at cost.” The organization said it had advocated for federal funding to help host cities with transportation costs.

NJ Transit said Wednesday it had not yet finalized its pricing for World Cup service. That means the $100 fare is still a possibility — not a confirmed plan — but the public pressure is already significant enough that both the state’s governor and its senior U.S. senator have made it a public fight.

The broader context: this is the same tournament where fans have already been outraged by ticket prices reaching $8,680 for finals seats and Category 1 buyers discovering their seats were downgraded after purchase. The transit dispute in New Jersey adds a local dimension to what has become a consistent theme around the 2026 World Cup — the gap between FIFA’s revenue expectations and what it’s asking fans and host communities to absorb.

Whether FIFA agrees to contribute before the tournament starts June 11 is unresolved. Sherrill said if FIFA doesn’t pay, she won’t let New Jersey get “taken for one” either — suggesting she’s prepared to intervene if the $100 fare becomes reality.