High Metro Ticket Prices for World Cup Matches Spark Outrage Among Fans
After buying tickets to attend matches of the 2026 World Cup (June 11th – July 19th), the exorbitant prices of metro tickets to reach certain stadiums in the United States are causing an uproar among supporters who see their competition budget skyrocket. In Boston, Massachusetts, the local transport authority announced that a round trip between the train station and Foxborough Stadium, 25 km away, would cost $80. This is nearly ten times more than usual ($8.75) and four times more than for an NFL game or concert at Gillette Stadium ($20).
The local organizing committee also announced that a round trip on an Express bus, reserved for ticket holders, would cost $95. Additionally, according to The Athletic magazine, the New Jersey transport authority plans to charge over $100 – compared to the usual $12.90 – for a round trip between Manhattan and the MetLife Stadium, which will host eight World Cup matches, including the final on July 19.
The French team will play two of its three Group I matches in Boston and New Jersey. “It’s a scandal. In recent competitions, transportation was included or offered at a low rate for ticket holders,” said Guillaume Auprêtre, spokesperson for the Irresistible French (IF), the main supporters’ group of the French national team with over 2,500 members. “We are piling on extra costs without thinking about the supporters,” he said, accusing FIFA of excluding “the most loyal supporters in favor of the wealthiest.”
FIFA’s Record Revenues
The Football Supporters’ Federation for England and Wales (FSA) also criticized what they called a “scam.” “We were initially told that prices would remain the same, but this potential information [as reported in The Athletic, NDLR] is not a surprise. Every day brings a scam in this World Cup,” reacted the FSA’s Free Lions group responsible for supporters’ travel arrangements. England (Group L) will also play a match in Boston and another in New Jersey. FIFA, which did not immediately respond, has been severely criticized for the high ticket prices for matches, which can reach several thousand dollars on the official resale platform.
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York estimated that the world football governing body, “which is set to earn nearly $11 billion this summer with the World Cup,” should “at the very least ensure that local residents can go to the stadium without being ‘scalped at the turnstile’.” Indeed, FIFA is counting on such revenues for its 2023-2026 cycle, which includes the first World Cup with 48 teams, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Los Angeles Counterexample
New York’s Democratic governor Kathy Hochul criticized the “terribly high” price, stating that the event should be “as accessible and affordable as possible.” Similarly, New Jersey’s Democratic counterpart Mikie Sherrill warned that his state would not make taxpayers pay for the transportation costs of supporters. Contacted, the New Jersey transport authority did not respond after telling The Athletic that no final decision had been made.
According to American media, the operating cost for public transport during the eight matches at the stadium will amount to $48 million, due to security needs. However, the US Department of Transportation (FTA) allocated $100 million in spring to the 11 host cities for the World Cup, based on stadium size and number of matches played, to improve their networks and carry out infrastructure work. Massachusetts received $8.7 million, and the New York/New Jersey region received $10.4 million, according to local media. Los Angeles’s local authority LA Metro received $9.6 million. In March, they assured that the usual price for the trip to SoFi stadium ($3.50 round trip) would not increase for the eight World Cup matches.
