England fans hit with shocking train ticket price hike to watch World Cup games | Football

England fans will have to pay over £100 to get to one of their World Cup group games by train with prices hugely inflated ahead of this summer’s competition.

The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host seven games this summer, including England’s group match against Panama and the final on 19 July.

Fans are already paying record-high match tickets to attend games this summer. And anyone attending travelling to the stadium in East Rutherford from New York City’s Penn Station with have to pay €150 (£111) for a round-trip ticket which takes just 15 minutes.

It is a staggering price increase brought in specifically for this summer’s competition, nearly 12 times the usual $12.90 fare for a return trip.

40,000 football fans are expected to use mass transit for each of the games at the venue. Alternative methods for getting to the MetLife Stadium are also pricey with limited car parking spaces at the site costing £225 (£166).

NJ Transit officially confirmed the pricing on Friday.

England face Panama in their final group match on 27 June at the Stadium with Brazil, France and Germany also in action there.

New Jersey Governor, Mikie Sherril defended the price hike, insisting locals would ‘not be stuck with the tab’ for the first World Cup across the Atlantic since 1994.

”Fifa should pay for the rides,’ Sherril said. ‘But if they don’t – I’m not going to let New Jersey get taken for one.”

Sherrill’s comments did not sit well with Fifa who claimed transport issues were discussed well in advance of the World Cup.

‘Ever since the host city agreements were signed in 2018, Fifa has worked in collaboration with the Host Committees and their partners to develop a transportation plan that provides efficient and accessible mass transit options for ticketed fans attending the eight matches at NY NJ Stadium,’ World Cup chief event operations officer Heimo Schirigi said in a statement first reported by Front Office Sports.

‘The goal is to minimize congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and ensure the fan experience is positive and memorable defined by the action on the pitch, not delays on the road.

‘The NJ Transit current pricing model will have a chilling effect. Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.’

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