MetLife Stadium and World Cup 2026: Plans and Train Prices
Introduction
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has eight matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The final game is on July 19. People started preparing for the games in 2022. In 2024, the stadium became the place for the final. One big problem is the price of the train from New York City. State leaders are angry about this price.
Main Body
The stadium has a new name: New York New Jersey Stadium. It will have group matches. For example, Brazil plays Morocco on June 13. France plays Senegal on June 16. Norway plays Senegal on June 22. Ecuador plays Germany on June 25. Panama plays England on June 27. Then there is the final. Workers removed about 1,750 seats. They put natural grass on the field. After the games, they will put the seats back. Ticket prices changed over time. The first high price for the final was $6,730. Later it went up to $10,990. One resale ticket on StubHub was $9,559. FIFA still sells tickets on its website. It says people should use its resale market, not other sellers. Transportation is a big problem. NJ Transit will run a train from New York Penn Station to Secaucus Junction. Only people with match tickets can use it. The round trip costs $150 per person. People can buy tickets only on the NJ Transit app from May 13. Only 40,000 tickets are available for each match day. There is no parking at the stadium on match days. A nearby mall has some expensive parking. A bus shuttle costs $80 for a round trip. People cannot walk on the highways near the stadium. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said the World Cup should not cost state commuters or taxpayers. She said FIFA should pay for fan transport. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Scherzi said the high price will make fans use other ways to travel. Other cities have lower prices or free transport. Dallas charges $6 for a round trip and has free shuttles. Miami gives a 15% discount on Brightline trains. Philadelphia gives free public transport on match days. Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles have normal prices. Boston''s round trip to Gillette Stadium is $80. That is almost five times the normal price. The New Jersey organizing committee says the games will bring $3.3 billion to the area and $432 million in tax money. Some people do not believe these numbers. The state has spent or promised at least $307 million for preparations. More than one million visitors will come. There will be a fan festival at the American Dream mall for 39 days. The Meadowlands State Fair is cancelled. The U.S. men''s national team will announce its players on May 26. New Jersey has professional teams like the New York Red Bulls and Gotham FC. Some players from New Jersey may be on the national team.
Conclusion
The 2026 World Cup at MetLife Stadium needs a lot of planning and money. The price of transportation is a big problem between state leaders and FIFA. The event may bring a lot of money, but the costs for fans and the problems for local roads and trains are still important questions.