May 12, 2026
By Alexandra Lourenço
Editor-in-Chief
This article is part of a three-part in-depth reporting series about the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
From June 11-July 19, Canada, Mexico and the United States will jointly host the 23rd FIFA World Cup. This tournament will be the first to be hosted by three nations, bringing millions of fans from around the globe together for the world’s most-watched sporting event.
The first of eight World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford is set for June 13, when Brazil and Morocco will face off in a group-stage game.
While these games may seem advantageous to the economy, the New Jersey Monitor, an independent nonprofit news organization, reports that New Jersey residents will be burdened by the $48 million transportation bill for NJ Transit that FIFA refuses to cover.
In addition to these costs, taxpayers have already spent or contracted at least $307 million, and the state has approved an additional $20 million for the host committee. This means local taxpayers will likely see tax increases to help cover the costs.
The New Jersey Monitor’s report contrasts a study conducted by The Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm, which projects that the 2026 World Cup could generate more than $5 billion in short-term economic activity across North America, supporting approximately 40,000 jobs and over $1 billion in incremental worker earnings.
Economics teacher and international soccer fan Mr. Newman said it is hard to predict the World Cup’s impacts.
“Tourism can increase, but it might be hard to see in our area, where tourism is always a huge part of the NYC metro [area’s] economy, World Cup or no World Cup,” Newman said.
With the parking lot at MetLife Stadium fully closed, public transportation is the only option for many fans attending the matches.
“Not having the ability to drive and park at the stadiums is a hit to local businesses that could have made sales off of tailgating [and] events before the matches,” Newman said.
NJ Transit will build a temporary bus station in Hoboken and partially shut down New York Penn Station on match days to help make transportation to and from MetLife Stadium smoother, according to NorthJersey.com.
“There is no reason for NJ Transit to charge such high prices when the World Cup tickets are already so expensive.”
These actions are the result of lessons learned from Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014, when the National Football League’s mistaken rail ridership estimates led to overcrowding and delays on the Meadowlands Rail Line.
“These measures are a little extreme, but could be the way [to] avoid the problem NJ Transit had during the Super Bowl,” Newman said.
A round-trip bus ticket from New York City to MetLife Stadium generally costs $10.60, and a round-trip train ticket generally costs $12.90. For the World Cup, those tickets will cost $80 and $105, respectively.
Senior international soccer fan Daniela Cedeño said the cost of public transportation should remain the same during the tournament.
“There is no reason for NJ Transit to charge such high prices when the World Cup tickets are already so expensive,” Cedeño said.
Cedeño, who works at the Starbucks on 1 Stuyvesant Ave., said she thinks the World Cup will create more part-time jobs for local teens.
“My manager is still currently hiring, because even when there’s an event that’s happening nearby, our sales [go up], so with the World Cup, it’s definitely going to [rise],” Cedeño said.
Senior international soccer fan Shirley Bermejo said she was hoping to watch a match live, but will not be able to because of the skyrocketing ticket prices.
This year, FIFA is charging up to $10,990 for tickets to the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19. This is an approximately 584% increase since the 2022 final in Lusail, Qatar, where tickets ranged from $206-$1,607.
“I love how everyone is in the same spirit, yelling and screaming for their team, but the ticket prices are too expensive for me to attend a game,” Bermejo said.
She said her family frequently visits American Dream in East Rutherford, but plans to avoid it during the games at MetLife Stadium because spectators who are driving are being told to park in Lots 26, 27 and 28 of the retail and entertainment complex. Parking will cost $225 for the Round of 32 match and $300 for the Round of 16 tilt.
“[When] we went [in March], there was [an event] happening in the American Dream. It had ended already, but there were still a bunch of cars. [After] an hour, we just had to leave because we couldn’t even get [into the parking lot], so now that it’s going to be the games, I feel like it’s going to be even worse,” Bermejo said.
Despite the cost and inconveniences associated with the World Cup, Bermejo said she is happy it is coming to North America and, specifically, MetLife Stadium.
“[FIFA is] giving us the experience, and people are going to have the best moments of their lives,” said Bermejo.
