New York City soccer fans just got a rare shot at scoring affordable tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city has launched a special lottery giving residents the chance to buy tickets for only $50 — and that price even includes free round-trip bus rides to MetLife Stadium.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that the city partnered with the NY/NJ Host Committee to secure 1,000 discounted tickets for seven different matches. The package includes five group-stage games and two knockout matches, though the championship final is not part of the deal. Around 150 tickets will be available for each game.
What Fans Should Know
- 🎟️ Tickets cost just $50
- 🚌 Winners also receive free transportation to the stadium
- ⚽ Covers select World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium
- 📅 Lottery closes at midnight on Saturday, May 30
- 👥 Winners can buy up to two tickets
The online lottery officially opens today at 10 a.m. through regnyctix.com. New York City residents age 15 and older can enter once daily, with a limit of 50,000 entries each day. Selected winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 3.
To stop ticket resellers from cashing in, the tickets will be non-transferable. Winners must pick them up at an official departure location on match day before boarding transportation to the stadium.
The announcement arrives while FIFA continues facing heavy criticism over World Cup ticket prices. Many fans were shocked after prices for premium seats at the July 19, 2026 final at MetLife Stadium reportedly climbed to nearly $33,000 per ticket. FIFA’s pricing strategy has also stirred controversy because match prices vary depending on the popularity of the teams instead of using one standard rate.
Adding to the frustration, FIFA also charges a 30% fee on ticket resales through its official marketplace. Complaints over pricing have spread across all three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Transportation costs have been another major issue for fans heading to matches at MetLife Stadium. Earlier this year, New Jersey Transit announced special World Cup train fares of $150 round-trip per person, more than three times the usual rate. After backlash, officials lowered the fare to $98 with help from additional sponsorship funding.
Mamdani, who has often described himself as a lifelong soccer supporter and loyal fan of Arsenal F.C., reportedly pushed for cheaper ticket access during a March meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at New York City Hall. During that conversation, he was also introduced over FaceTime to former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who now works as FIFA’s chief of global football development.
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