Governor Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) slammed the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on Wednesday amid uncertainty around train ticket prices to the World Cup 2026 venue in the New York area.
In a video shared on the social media platform X, Sherrill said that her administration wouldn’t let New Jersey be affected by the cost, even as the “NJ TRANSIT is stuck with a $48 million bill,” to transport fans safely while “FIFA is making $11 billion,” she said.
Sherrill added that her administration had inherited an agreement where FIFA was “providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup,” adding that FIFA was “charging fans up to $10,000 for a single ticket for the final.” She urged FIFA to cover the costs. “FIFA should pay for the rides. But if they don’t – I’m not going to let New Jersey get taken for one,” Sherrill said.
Democrats Criticize FIFA
The news comes as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) criticized the organization after a report from The Athletic claimed that a return ticket for a train ride from Penn Station to New York’s MetLife Stadium could cost over $100, as FIFA wasn’t covering transportation costs.
The world’s apex soccer governing body will host the 2026 World Cup across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. A total of 48 nations will be playing over 104 games in the World Cup, with Iran also set to be a part of the competition despite President Donald Trump‘s warnings about safety. Being host nations, the U.S., Canada and Mexico also secured automatic qualification into the tournament.
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