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The basics:

• Officials unveil World Cup mobility plan for moving 40,000 fans per match
• $150 round-trip rail tickets; $80 shuttle bus option
• No general parking at MetLife Stadium for spectators
• UPDATE: FIFA responses to pricing model, saying it ‘will have a chilling effect’

Officials unveiled the long-anticipated World Cup mobility plan April 17, calling it an “unprecedented” effort built around a tightly managed, transit-first system.

The release follows weeks of mounting questions and reports around pricing, access and commuter impacts, as transportation emerged as a central issue ahead of the tournament. With the plan now formalized, officials detailed how fans will travel to and from matches and how service will be managed across the region.

Key elements of the plan:

• Transit operations
  • NJ Transit will serve as the primary carrier, with a goal of transporting 40,000 fans per match
  • Rail service will operate between Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and MetLife Stadium
  • Fans traveling from New Jersey will connect via Secaucus Junction or Hoboken Terminal
• Ticketing and pricing
  • Rail tickets will cost $150 round trip
  • Shuttle bus tickets will cost $80 round trip
  • Rail tickets go on sale May 13 via NJ Transit’s mobile app
  • Transportation tickets require a valid match ticket
  • Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable
  • Rail tickets will not be available for purchase on matchday
• Stadium access
  • No general spectator parking at MetLife Stadium
  • Access limited to official transportation options
  • Limited parking available at American Dream by advance purchase
• Ingress and egress
  • Transportation service begins four hours before kickoff
  • Postgame service operates for three hours after matches
  • Rail access limited to ticketed fans during pregame period
  • Customers without rail tickets will not be permitted to board postgame
• Penn Station operations
  • Westbound service from Penn Station will be limited to ticketed fans for four hours before matches
  • Eastbound service into New York will continue to operate
  • Station remains open during match windows
• Postgame service adjustments
  • For three hours after matches, trains to New York will terminate in New Jersey, including Newark Penn Station
  • Customers will transfer to PATH or other services to continue to New York
• Additional transportation options
  • Shuttle service from Port Authority Bus Terminal and Midtown East
  • Park-and-ride service in New Jersey
  • Rideshare limited to a designated drop-off location (no stadium access)
• Commuter impacts
  • June 22 and June 30 identified as key dates due to overlap with peak travel
  • Alternative service options and discounts will be available for certain riders

‘Unprecedented planning’

The rail agency held a media briefing about the transportation and security plan with key stakeholders and leaders of appropriate agencies in Newark.

“This is going to be the biggest World Cup that FIFA has ever put on – and so an unprecedented event requires unprecedented planning and an unprecedented scale of planning,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee. “This is going to be probably one of the biggest security events, which is a big reason as to why for the last two years we’ve been working with everyone to ensure transportation is going to be as safe, secure, and efficient as possible.”

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri laid out the efforts from NJ Transit to achieve the objectives of moving 40,000 people on match days. He also ran through the $150 roundtrip ticket price tag, which he attributed to covering the roughly $6 million per match cost to run the service, which is $62 million in total (with some funding from federal government and the Host committee reducing that burden to $48 million for the state).

“Our objective, from New Jersey Transit’s point-of-view is we have been asked to move 40,000 people per game, and we’re committed to doing that,” said Kolluri, noting that the agency expects about 28,000 of that figure to be traveling from New York, where those riders will board at Penn Station. “There’s going to be a security perimeter set up at Penn Station, one in Secaucus, and one at MetLife.”

Commuters, beware

At Penn Station there will be a four-hour window before the game during which all westbound trains will be diverted to allow for moving riders to the match. Trains going eastbound from Penn will still run as normal pre-match – and the station will operate during the matches.

For three hours after each match, most NJ Transit trains to Penn Station will terminate in New Jersey, primarily at Newark Penn Station or Newark Broad Street. Riders heading to New York can continue via PATH (or Newark Light Rail connections) at no additional cost, while trains departing from Penn Station will operate normally.

“Let me be crystal clear, if we’re able to move the 28,000 people faster, we’ll open up the western bound trains faster,” said Kolluri, regarding pre-match at Penn Station. “While that temporary diversion is in place, we will provide cross-honoring on PATH and NJ Transit buses from Port Authority, which will go uninterrupted. People can also take ferries. They can take Amtrak.

“That is the beauty about living in the New Jersey, New York metropolitan area. We have multiple options. We intend to do everything in our power to make sure all these options are available.”

Not paying the price

On the $150 ticket price, Kolluri stressed that Gov. Mikie Sherrill is excited to welcome folks from all over the world to New Jersey, which is hosting eight matches (including the Final).

“It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity, as well as economic standing in the country and in the world,” said Kolluri. “Equally important, she has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game – because that would not be fair.

“So what we have said is the cost of running these games is $62 million – but thanks to the federal government, which has given us about $10.6 million and thanks to the New York New Jersey Host Committee, which last night gave us $3.6 million, we have brough the cost down to $48 million for those eight games – or $6 million a game. In order to move 40,000 people and to pay for the cost of $6 million, we have to charge $150.”

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… pic.twitter.com/pugU8davkW

— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) April 15, 2026

More from the governor

On April 17, Sherrill released a statement again calling on FIFA to help defray that cost. The back-and-forth between the governor and soccer’s governing body has ratcheted up. “We know that this event will deliver real economic benefits for our communities and businesses. At the same time, hosting cannot come at the expense of New Jersey commuters and taxpayers,” Sherrill said.

“In the agreement that my Administration inherited, FIFA put zero dollars toward transporting World Cup fans. In addition, it eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, putting the burden of transporting four times more matchday riders than typical for an event at the stadium on NJ TRANSIT. On top of extensive logistical considerations to ensure transportation is safe and efficient throughout the tournament – for regular commuters and FIFA ticket holders alike – this agreement will cost NJ TRANSIT at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup.

“We are committed to ensuring costs are shared fairly. As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”

FIFA: ‘Pricing model will have a chilling effect’

FIFA responded to today’s announcement of the mobility plan and the comments from Sherrill. The organization said it has worked with host committees since 2018 to develop a transportation plan focused on “efficient and accessible mass transit options” for fans attending matches at MetLife Stadium. Its goal is minimizing congestion and ensuring the experience is defined by the games — not travel delays.

“The NJ Transit current pricing model will have a chilling effect,” Heimo Schirgi, chief operating officer for FIFA World Cup 2026, told NJBIZ in a statement. “Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.

“Furthermore, to arbitrarily set elevated prices and demand FIFA absorb these costs is unprecedented,” Schirgi continued. “No other global event, concert or major sporting promoter has faced such a demand. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a not-for-profit organization as per our statutes. Revenues from the FIFA World Cup are reinvested into developing the game of football, particularly for youth and women, worldwide.”

FIFA pointed to transportation rates in other host cities such as Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. Those locales have committed to no fare increases, with rail tickets in Atlanta and Houston priced at $2.50 roundtrip, while Houston is also expanding service to better connect key destinations. Los Angeles will offer $3.50 roundtrip fares, and Philadelphia’s SEPTA will maintain its standard $2.90 base fare.

Schirgi added, “We applaud our host city partners across the country who embraced this opportunity to showcase their region to visitors by providing low cost and often unchanged rates for mass transit to and from match venues, FIFA Fan Festival locations, airports and other areas critical to a positive fan experience.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:46 with a response from FIFA.

Please stay tuned to NJBIZ for further coverage of this developing issue.