"Is $120 Round-Trip Reasonable?"... World Cup Shuttle Bus Fare Slashed to One-Quarter Amid Overpricing Controversy

Round-Trip Shuttle Bus to MetLife Stadium Now $20
Train Fare Also Slashed from $150 to $98 for Round Trips

With criticism mounting over excessively high transportation costs to stadiums ahead of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, the New York-New Jersey Host Committee in the United States has drastically reduced the official shuttle bus fare to one-quarter of its original price.

The MetLife Stadium, scheduled to host the World Cup final match. Photo by MetLife Stadium Instagram

According to The Athletic, a sports media outlet under The New York Times, and other sources on May 13 (local time), the 2026 FIFA World Cup New York-New Jersey Host Committee has slashed the official round-trip shuttle bus fare between MetLife Stadium and the New York City area from the previously announced $80 (about 110,000 won) to $20 (about 27,000 won).

This measure was taken in response to continued criticism that transportation costs to MetLife Stadium were excessively high. MetLife Stadium is the venue for World Cup matches in the New York-New Jersey region, as well as the final to be held on July 19, 2026.

The Host Committee originally planned to provide bus seating for 10,000 people, but has expanded capacity by adding traditional American yellow school buses.

As a result, a total of 18,000 seats will be available for the five matches (including the final) held on days when schools are not in session, and 12,000 seats will be provided for the three group stage matches held on weekdays during the school term.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that New York State will provide $6 million (about 830 million won) in support to lower the shuttle bus fare. For fans who already purchased tickets at the $80 price, $60 will be refunded, reducing their final cost to $20.

New York State also announced that about 20% of all bus tickets will be allocated on a priority basis to New York State residents who hold match tickets. This is intended to ensure that the benefits of the taxpayer-funded program go to local residents. According to officials, approximately 25-30% of MetLife Stadium match tickets have been purchased by residents of the New York-New Jersey area.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that the special World Cup train fare on NJ Transit will be further reduced from the previous $105 (about 156,500 won) to $98 (about 146,100 won). This follows a previous reduction from the original $150 (about 220,000 won) to $105. Governor Sherrill explained that this fare cut was made possible through private sector sponsorship, not taxpayer funds.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.