NYC Unveils Affordable World Cup Ticket Program With Free Transit
Scoring tickets for the 2026 World Cup has felt almost impossible for many fans because prices have been sky-high. Now, New York City is rolling out a budget-friendly option that could give regular fans a real shot at attending the tournament live.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to New Yorkers for just $50 each. Even better, every ticket includes free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Here’s what fans should know:
- ?? Tickets cost only $50
- ? Free transportation to and from the stadium is included
- ? Winners can buy up to two tickets
- ? Tickets are non-transferable to help stop scalpers
- ? Lottery winners will be notified on June 3
The city says the ticket lottery is designed to keep things fair, giving everyday New Yorkers a chance to attend without needing huge budgets or insider connections. Fans can enter once per day during the lottery period, with entries capped at 50,000 daily.
The discounted tickets will cover several major matches, including five group-stage games and the first two knockout-round matches. Around 150 winners will attend each game.
Mamdani said soccer has always been a sport deeply connected to working-class communities, but rising ticket prices have pushed many longtime fans out of the experience. The goal of the program is to make attending live sports feel possible again for regular people instead of becoming a luxury reserved for wealthy fans.
The announcement comes as frustration continues to grow around World Cup ticket prices nationwide. Many fans have reported long virtual wait times, technical glitches, and expensive resale prices while trying to secure seats.
Secondary market prices remain steep. Some lower-tier tickets for certain matches are still above $140, while seats at MetLife for group-stage games are listed for several hundred dollars. Tickets for the World Cup Final have climbed into the thousands, making the city’s $50 offer stand out even more.
New York recently tested a similar fan-focused idea with local women’s soccer club NJ/NY Gotham FC, offering heavily discounted tickets that sold out in under an hour — a sign that affordable sports experiences are still in huge demand.