Gov. Mikie Sherrill demands FIFA foot the bill for World Cup transportation after reports NJ Transit could inflate train tickets by 775%

NY Post ^ | 4/15/26 | Caitlin McCormack

[Libloather]

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill bashed the “inherited” World Cup host agreement in which FIFA is absolved of paying for transportation to the matches at MetLife Stadium — and insisted she won’t stand for its planned price gouging.

NJ Transit plans to raise prices to a staggering $100 for fans traveling from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium for the eight FIFA World Cup games hosted at the Garden State arena.

The average ticket goes for $12.90, marking an egregious 775% premium for all.

While the rumored hike has “not been finalized,” according to a NJT spokesperson, locals are already fuming — Sherrill included.

Sherrill, who entered office at the beginning of this year, fumed that her “administration inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing zero dollars for transportation” to and from the World Cup.

She surmised that the hullabaloo will bury NJT under “a $48 million bill” as they are tasked with carting upwards of 40,000 fans to and from the stadium.

At the same time, the haughty honchos at FIFA are set to make an estimated $11 billion off the Cup, so covering the transportation bill would only eat up an estimated .4% of their entire revenue.

“I won’t stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years to come. That’s not fair. So here’s the bottom line, FIFA should pay for the rides, but if they don’t, I’m not gonna let New Jersey commuters get taken for one,” Sherrill said.

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer also criticized FIFA for “[handing] the bill” to the public.

“The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile. I am demanding FIFA step up and cover transportation costs for host cities and states.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Local News; Sports; Travel
KEYWORDS: nj; sherrill; tickets; train

[Libloather]

Meanwhile, the Chuckles Shutdown is on day 60.

[Steven Tyler]

He got the attention of all the uber drivers....

[xp38]

Why is this any different than say NFL games which routinely happen at MetLife?

[DeplorablePaul]

“NJ Transit plans to raise prices to a staggering $100 for fans traveling from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium”

I’m confused. Isn’t it the NJ government agency doing the gouging? Does Bruce Springsteen pay for the rides his fans take to the show? Progressive women live in bizarro world.

[The Free Engineer]

This makes NO sense.

From the article:
NJT would be stuck with a $48 million bill... as they are tasked with carting upwards of 40,000 fans

So, it will cost NJT $1000+ for each fan transported?

And that is 40,000 total over eight games. So, 5000 people per game, on trains. They can add cars on trains to carry more right?

I smell a grift going on.

[nesnah]

Just so you know, Mikie is a helicopter pilot, which makes her supremely qualified to screw over NJ citizens.

[pepsi_junkie]

She surmised that the hullabaloo will bury NJT under “a $48 million bill” as they are tasked with carting upwards of 40,000 fans to and from the stadium.

They can't do mass transit on their mass transit system?

[Mr. K]

How about ‘demanding’ that they don’t inflate the prices 775%?

[unixfox]

They can't do mass transit on their mass transit system?

Exactly. It's not like they are increasing capacity, only price gouging because they can.

[Mashood]

FIFA should contract with larger state universities for the venues. Screw the blue cities.

[mjustice]

Why is this any different than say NFL games which routinely happen at MetLife?

The FIFA security zones take up a significant portion of the parking lots. They've been telling folks this for months. I don't agree with a $100 train ticket, but there is a rational basis for expecting more train riders.

[Fresh Wind]

Does Bruce Springsteen pay for the rides his fans take to the show?

Since fans are paying up to as much as $3K for concert tickets, he figures they can afford to pay a mere $100 for a train ride.

[mjustice]

I’m confused. Isn’t it the NJ government agency doing the gouging? Does Bruce Springsteen pay for the rides his fans take to the show? Progressive women live in bizarro world.

They're technically an independent agency, not a government agency. I don't buy it, but the Supreme Court ruled (9-0) in March that they are not (and, as the case suggests, are not subject to sovereign immunity). See Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corporation.

[T.B. Yoits]

From the article: Sherrill...fumed that her “administration inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing zero dollars for transportation” to and from the World Cup.

How nice of the Caitlin McCormack at the NY Post to omit that the previous administration was a Democrat administration, that of Phail Murphy.

We expect Democrat governor Mikie Sherrill to omit that, but Caitlin McCormack and the NY Post had the opportunity to point that out.

You didn't "inherit" anything, Mikie Sherrill, YOUR team put it in place.

[hal ogen]

Is there anything that the government and politicians don’t put under their grift? Apparently not.

Just make sure that ICE is in the crowds arresting all of the illegals.

[Hot Tabasco]

In mass transit, if the average cost of the ticket is $12.90, doesn’t more passengers result in more revenues? What am I missing?

[T.B. Yoits]

I suspect the transit agency has a real problem where they can't force employees to work overtime to cover the trips and are looking for money for incentives. The money can't come from rider fares because those must go into the general operating fund, and since these transit agencies run at a loss, none of that money can be directly pegged to these events.

If they can get FIFA to cough up money, those fees can be directed toward overtime and bonus incentives for the employees working those trips.

[mjustice]

Exactly. It's not like they are increasing capacity, only price gouging because they can.

I agree that the math doesn't make sense. If you assume 80,000 trips per game (40,000 to MetLife, and return trips) for 8 games, 48 million dollars would be a $75 subsidy per trip. Historically (I know the numbers post-Covid are off) the farebox recovery ratio for NJT is 40-50%. That means that doubling the $12.25 fare or even going to $30 should cover their costs. $100 per trip looks a lot like gouging to me.

The aren't increasing capacity, but they are increasing service levels before and after the game. To compound matters, it is not a one-seat ride from (NY) Penn Station to Metlife. You have to change trains at Secaucus Junction, which is on a different level on the station. So each trip requires two trains, two engineers, two sets of conductors. There is a cost associated with this, but it isn't as expensive as they make it sound.

To make matters worse the line is a un-electrified spur, so even if there was infrastructure to all for a direct connection from either Penn Station (NY or Newark) there are only a limited number of locomotives to handle the service. NJT's poor planning is on full display here. They would have been better off hosting the games somewhere else.

[mjustice]

In mass transit, if the average cost of the ticket is $12.90, doesn’t more passengers result in more revenues? What am I missing?

$12.90 is only 40-50% of the cost of providing the service. The state (and feds) subsidizes the loss.

[xp38]

Ok thanks for the info.