New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside NYC World Cup Czar Maya Handa, NYC World Cup Czar, left, and New York council member Yusef Salaam, makes a World Cup soccer tournament announcement at Harlem Tavern. (Photo: AP)
New York City will offer $50 tickets and free bus travel for selected residents to attend matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in a move aimed at widening access, according to an announcement reported by the Associated Press (AP).
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the plan is designed to help working-class residents attend games that would otherwise be too expensive. “A World Cup is coming to our backyard, and we want to ensure working-class New Yorkers have the opportunity to be part of it,” he said.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is passed a replica World Cup Trophy by Ezequiel Cecchi, 49, after making a World Cup soccer tournament announcement at Harlem Tavern. (Photo: AP)
The scheme will provide 1,000 tickets for matches at MetLife Stadium, excluding the final. Tickets will be priced at $50 and include free return bus transport. Seats will be in the upper tier of the stadium.
Mamdani said the city worked with the local host committee to put the plan in place. “We sat down with the Host Committee to make certain this tournament belongs to the people who make this city what it is,” he said. “Today, 1,000 New Yorkers are going to get into those stands for fifty dollars and a free bus ride.”
The tickets will be distributed through a lottery system, which opens on May 25 and closes on May 30.
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Each winner can buy up to two tickets, which cannot be transferred and will be issued on the day of the match.
The offer covers seven matches, including five group-stage games and two knockout fixtures. Around 150 tickets will be available per match.
The move comes as the cost of attending matches in the New York and New Jersey area has drawn attention. Transport fares to MetLife Stadium have also increased, with return journeys by public transport costing more than usual.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, center, joined by, from left, United States soccer star Tim Weah NYC World Cup Czar Maya Handa, and New York council member Yusef Salaam, makes a World Cup soccer tournament announcement at Harlem Tavern. (Photo: AP)
City officials said the plan is separate from FIFA’s ticketing system and is being run with the NY/NJ World Cup host committee. It follows similar steps taken in past tournaments to reserve lower-cost tickets for local residents.
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Mamdani, who has criticised high ticket prices in the past, said access to the tournament should not be limited. He said many fans risk being priced out, adding that the event should include those who follow the sport closely.
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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside NYC World Cup Czar Maya Handa, NYC World Cup Czar, left, and New York council member Yusef Salaam, makes a World Cup soccer tournament announcement at Harlem Tavern. (Photo: AP) 
