New York City is giving soccer fans one last chance to score big: $50 tickets for FIFA World Cup matches—but the clock is ticking fast.
🎟️ Final day to enter the lottery
The six-day ticket lottery wraps up on Saturday in May. Each day, up to 50,000 people can enter starting at 10 a.m., and it’s been filling up almost instantly—Day 1 hit the limit in just three minutes. You can only enter once per day, so no double dipping.
⚽ What’s actually up for grabs?
- Around 1,000 total tickets priced at just $50 each
- About 150 tickets per match
- Covers five group-stage games + two knockout matches
- ❌ No tickets for the July 19 final
- Minimum age to enter: 15 years old
Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the price point roughly the cost of “five lattes” in New York—aiming to make the tournament more accessible for everyday fans.
📩 How winners are chosen
If you’re selected, you’ll get an email on June 3. But winning doesn’t end there:
- You’ll have 48 hours to buy up to two tickets
- Tickets must be picked up in person on match day
- Only the ticket holder can receive them—no transfers allowed
🚌 Free ride + anti-scalping rules
Winners also get free round-trip bus service to the games. Tickets are handed out only when fans board the bus, a move designed to stop scalping and resale on the secondary market.
🏟️ Why these cheap seats exist
The $50 tickets aren’t coming directly from FIFA. Instead, they come from the New York and New Jersey host committee allocation.
Mamdani had pushed hard during his campaign for more affordable access, including a proposal for FIFA to reserve 15% of tickets for local residents at discounted prices. He even launched a petition against demand-based pricing. Reports say he later secured part of that ask during talks with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in March.
Bottom line: it’s a rare chance for NYC fans to catch World Cup action without breaking the bank—but only if you move fast.
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