Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) criticized the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on Tuesday as reports emerged that the New Jersey Transit was going to charge $100 for train tickets to the 2026 World Cup venue.
An $11 Billion Windfall
In a post on the social media platform X, Schumer lamented the steep train ticket prices of more than $100 for return tickets from Penn Station to the MetLife Stadium. “FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup,” he said, adding that NY residents were still being forced to foot the bill.
“The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile,” he said. He also demanded that the apex soccer governing body cover “transportation costs for host cities and states” in the U.S. “New York commuters and residents should not subsidize an $11 billion windfall,” he said.
Kathy Hochul Demands Accessibility
Hochul, too, took to X, expressing her criticism of the steep ticket prices, demanding that the World Cup games be accessible and affordable to the fans. “Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me,” she said, adding that such high prices won’t be “happening on the MTA.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, will be hosted across the U.S., Mexico and Canada and will comprise 48 teams competing in 104 games across 16 cities. The format is different from the previous tournaments, where 32 teams competed for the title until the 2022 World Cup.
The U.S., Canada and Mexico, as host nations, automatically secured qualification for the tournament, while nations like Jordan and Uzbekistan are set to make their debuts this year. Argentina, the defending champions, have won the competition three times, beating France in 2022 to secure their third World Cup title.
Prediction Markets Cash In
FIFA also announced a multi-year deal with ADI Predictstreet as its first official partner in the prediction market category. The deal would let bettors around the globe bet on the outcomes of the World Cup games.
Meanwhile, the Iranian soccer team had rebuked President Donald Trump‘s warnings about safety, saying that it will be participating in the World Cup. “The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country,” the team said.
The statements came as there had been uncertainty regarding its participation in the tournament, as tensions continue to escalate with the U.S. after Trump announced a U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
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