2026 World Cup: What England fans heading to New York need to know about Penn Station restrictions

England fans heading out to New York for the 2026 World Cup are being warned that Penn Station will effectively shut down to most travellers before every match at MetLife Stadium.

The restrictions will affect England’s group-stage game against Panama on Saturday, June 27, but they will also apply to every World Cup fixture in the New York and New Jersey area, including the final.

For four hours before kick-off, only supporters holding specially issued World Cup match tickets will be allowed into the NJ Transit boarding area at Penn Station.

That means thousands of football fans staying near Midtown Manhattan could find their usual route to MetLife blocked unless they plan ahead.

Who will be allowed into Penn Stadion before World Cup match at MetLife Stadium?

New York Penn Station is normally used by more than 64,000 commuters every day, but on World Cup match days, NJ Transit expects around 40,000 supporters to travel to MetLife Stadium.

To cope with those numbers, Penn Station will be restricted from four hours before kick-off until the start of the match.

For England’s game against Panama on June 27th, which kicks off at 3pm local time, the restrictions are expected to begin at 11am.

Only fans with specially printed match tickets will be allowed into the NJ Transit section of Penn Station. They will then travel to Secaucus Junction before changing onto shuttle trains or buses serving MetLife Stadium.

The same rules will apply for all eight World Cup matches in the New York and New Jersey region, including the World Cup final on July 19th.

Why is New York restricting Penn Station during the 2026 World Cup?

Officials say the temporary restrictions are needed because of security and crowd-control concerns.

Senior political figures and world leaders are expected to attend several matches, while transport authorities estimate that roughly 70 per cent of stadium-bound supporters will pass through Penn Station.

NJ Transit says a full transport plan for commuters and football fans will be released before the tournament, but England supporters travelling to New York should be prepared for major disruption around Penn Station on match day.

How England fans with match tickets can still get from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium

Supporters who have tickets for the match can still travel through Penn Station, but should expect longer queues and airport-style security checks.

Fans will need to:

• Use the designated World Cup entrance at Penn Station
• Show their specially printed match ticket before entering the boarding area
• Take an NJ Transit train to Secaucus Junction
• Transfer to a dedicated stadium shuttle service

Anyone travelling to the England game should aim to arrive at Penn Station at least two or three hours before kick-off.

Leaving it until the last minute could mean missing the final trains to the stadium, which are expected to depart around 30 minutes before the match starts.

Best alternatives to Penn Station for England fans without match tickets

Fans staying near Penn Station but without stadium tickets will not be able to access NJ Transit services during the restriction period.

The best alternative is likely to be the PATH network – supporters can board PATH trains from 33rd Street, 23rd Street, 14th Street or the World Trade Centre and travel towards Hoboken or Newark, where onward buses and stadium shuttles are expected.

Another option is the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street, where NJ Transit is likely to operate extra buses towards Secaucus, Newark and the Meadowlands.

Ferries from Midtown, Wall Street and Battery Park to Hoboken or Jersey City could also avoid the worst of the congestion, although fans would still need to connect onto buses or local transport.

Rideshares and taxis are expected to be the most expensive and slowest option. A trip from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium could easily cost more than $100 (£75) because of surge pricing and heavy traffic.