NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that 1,000 discounted tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be made available to city residents for $50 each, following public criticism over soaring ticket prices for matches in the New York-New Jersey area.
The limited tickets will be distributed through a lottery open to New York City residents from May 25 to May 30. Winners will be allowed to buy up to two tickets, which will be non-transferable and issued only on matchday. The package will also include free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where several World Cup games will be played.
Mamdani said the programme is intended to ensure that working-class New Yorkers are not priced out of one of the world’s biggest sporting events. The mayor has been an outspoken critic of FIFA’s ticketing system, particularly its use of dynamic pricing and the high resale costs that have angered many football fans.
MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host seven World Cup matches before the final, including five group-stage games and two knockout fixtures. About 150 discounted seats will be available for each of those matches. The offer does not include the July 19 final, where ticket demand is expected to be exceptionally high and premium prices have reportedly climbed close to $33,000.
The discounted tickets are being provided through the local New York-New Jersey World Cup host committee rather than directly by FIFA. Organisers say the tickets will be handed out at bus boarding locations to prevent resale and ensure that the programme benefits verified city residents.
The announcement follows months of frustration among fans over the affordability of the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. In New York, criticism has also focused on the cost of travelling to MetLife Stadium, with some supporters raising concerns about transport fares and the wider expense of attending matches.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the governing body’s pricing policy, arguing that demand for the tournament remains strong. But critics say the current model risks shutting out local fans, especially in cities where matchday costs are already high.
For New Yorkers, the $50 lottery offers a rare opportunity to attend the World Cup at an affordable price. But with only 1,000 tickets available in a city of more than eight million people, the programme is likely to satisfy only a small fraction of demand.
