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FIFA's controversial 2026 World Cup transport plans in New York and New Jersey are facing fresh scrutiny after new figures revealed an alarming number of train tickets to MetLife Stadium remain unsold just days before the tournament gets underway.
Despite repeated encouragement for supporters to book travel in advance, demand for the heavily criticised NJ Transit service appears to be far below expectations.
The reason MetLife World Cup train tickets aren't selling
According to figures reported by The Athletic, fewer than six per cent of available NJ Transit World Cup train tickets had been sold by the end of May.
Just 17,739 tickets had been purchased across all eight matches scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium, including the 2026 World Cup final. That represents only 5.5 per cent of the 320,000 tickets available.
The numbers are particularly striking given that tournament planners had previously forecast that around 40,000 supporters per game would travel to the stadium by train.
The issue has been dominated by the cost of travel.
NJ Transit initially faced fierce criticism after plans emerged for round-trip fares exceeding $100, before a proposed $150 (£111) price point sparked even greater backlash from supporters, politicians and FIFA itself.
Although the agency eventually reduced the price to $98 (£73), fans are still being asked to pay more than seven times the normal $12.90 (£9.60) return fare for the 18-mile journey.
Meanwhile, alternative transport options appear to be attracting significantly more interest.
A World Cup shuttle bus service connecting New York City and MetLife Stadium recently slashed fares from $80 (£60) to just $20 (£15) following government intervention, with ticket sales reportedly running at a far stronger pace.
Questions are now being asked about how supporters ultimately intend to reach matches, particularly with parking capacity significantly reduced due to FIFA security requirements.
Organisers remain confident that many fans will book closer to matchdays, but the current sales figures have nevertheless raised eyebrows.
FGG says: Are we really surprised?
The reality is that these numbers should shock nobody.
Charging supporters nearly $100 for what is normally a short commuter rail journey was always going to be a tough sell, particularly when many fans are already facing eye-watering costs for World Cup tickets, flights, accommodation and food.
Even after the price reduction, the train fare still feels wildly out of step with what supporters would normally expect to pay.
It's also telling that the cheaper shuttle bus option appears to be generating much stronger demand.
There may well be a late surge in sales as the tournament approaches, but if organisers genuinely expected fans to embrace a £73 train ticket without hesitation, they may have badly misread the mood.
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