NJ Transit overspends on World Cup transit as MetLife Stadium ranks poorly

NJ Transit prepared for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by planning to move 40,000 fans per match from New York Penn Station to the Meadowlands, pricing round‑trip tickets at $98 and closing the station to the public before games. After the first four matches, actual ticket sales averaged about 25,000 fans per game, leading the agency to overspend roughly $2 million per match and possibly $16 million in total, according to CEO Kris Kolluri. Officials said the overestimation stemmed from flawed attendance data supplied by FIFA and the American Dream complex.

Separately, ticket‑platform SeatPick evaluated all 11 U.S. World Cup venues on cost, safety and comfort factors. New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, which will host the final on July 19, was ranked the third‑worst fan‑experience venue, citing high beverage prices ($13 for a beer, $7 for water), expensive hotels, a high mosquito‑risk score and criticism of the pitch condition. SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and NRG Stadium in Houston received lower scores.