JAKARTA – The Mayor of New York City (NYC), Zohran Mamdani, proudly announced an agreement on Thursday, May 21, 2026, local time that allows NYC residents – and only NYC – to purchase 1,000 2026 World Cup tickets for 50 US dollars per ticket or equivalent to Rp884 thousand.
Even before he finished his press conference, New Jersey officials made clear their opinion on the ruling that excluded them.
“FIFA doesn’t care about the cost to New Jersey residents is nothing new. This is just another reason why Governor Sherrill is working hard to lower the cost for ourselves,” said Stephen Sigmund, a spokesman for New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill.
Officials in both states told ESPN they saw the deal as a reward for Mamdani for having lobbied FIFA and the New York-New Jersey Organizing Committee, while Sherrill was essentially punished for his criticism of both since taking office in January 2026.
The perception that New York is the favorite child seems to be a source of pride for both states.
A New Jersey official said the state would soon offer its own discounted ticket program, but with corporate sponsorship, not the organizing committee or FIFA.
A Mamdani spokesperson declined to comment on the dynamics. Based on the agreement announced by Mamdani on Thursday morning local time, the tickets came from the organizing committee’s own allocation, which was purchased from FIFA at a nominal price.
Two sources familiar with the negotiations said the deal requires FIFA’s approval and Mamdani has been working with FIFA President Gianni Infantino since March 2026 to get it.
“We ensure that working people will not lose the opportunity to watch the match they helped create,” Mamdani said.
Two New Jersey congressmen, Democrats Nellie Pou, who represents the district where the stadium is located, and Frank Pallone Jr., said they were not happy with the deal.
They sent a letter to FIFA two weeks ago asking for an explanation of FIFA’s ticketing policy, which they said was not transparent and potentially deceptive.
“This publicity stunt in no way addresses the issue of ticket costs. A thousand tickets spread over seven matches, according to our calculations, only amount to 0.17 percent of the tickets available for those matches.”
“FIFA must respond to our questions about their questionable ticket sales practices and take broader steps now to lower ticket prices for all fans. Time is running out for real action,” they said in a joint statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a FIFA source, reported by ESPN, said the deal was between the organizing committee and Mamdani.
“FIFA is only involved insofar as they want to ensure that discounted tickets are given to fans who actually plan to attend the match and are in the stadium,” said the source, who said that fans would not get tickets until they boarded the bus to the match.
Another ESPN source, who has direct knowledge of the 2026 World Cup planning conversations, said the organizing committee did not agree that there was favoritism.
“In terms of the demands that were raised, it was different for both sides of the river, but it was not a reflection of the relationship between the Organizing Committee and both parties.”
“The Organizing Committee works with the Governor’s Office and the Mayor’s Office every day. They just have different priorities. Mamdani campaigned on this affordability issue and today he is fulfilling his campaign promise,” said the source.
For Mamdani’s administration, this deal is a sign that the mayor has engaged with Infantino, through the same patient and calm diplomacy that led to his highly cordial meetings with President Donald Trump in November 2025 and February 2026.
For Sherrill, the alleged insult to New Jersey is the price a governor must pay for opposing an agreement he believes is bad for his state.
Sherrill has made it clear that he is unhappy with the deal his administration inherited from former governor – fellow Democrat – Phil Murphy, whose wife, Tammy, is chair of the Board of Directors of the Organizing Committee.
Sherrill said the original deal signed by then-Gov. Murphy left too much of the burden of transportation and security costs on New Jersey residents.
In his statement on behalf of Sherrill, Sigmund touted the steps he has taken, including securing $3.6 million to provide discounted tickets for NJ Transit riders whose trips were affected by the 2026 World Cup matches and maximizing the economic benefits and excitement of the matches across the state.
Soon after taking office, Sherrill canceled a planned fanfest at Liberty State Park, in part because he felt it would be more accessible to New Yorkers coming by boat than New Jersey drivers who would have to navigate brutal traffic jams to get to the park.
Instead, he announced that the state would reallocate the $5 million for the fanfest to a series of community-based events across the state.
Sherrill’s administration also raised the cost of the round-trip from Manhattan’s Penn Station to $98 on game days, drawing the ire of New Yorkers and international fans.
Sherrill said the estimated $48 million in additional transportation costs should be borne by visitors, not New Jersey residents.
Under the ticket program announced Thursday, New Yorkers can sign up for a lottery that will take place Monday, May 25, 2026, local time.
A total of 1,000 tickets will be divided for the seven matches leading up to the final, which will also be played in New Jersey. The city will provide free bus transportation for fans.
On Thursday morning, the cheapest tickets available for the New York-New Jersey match via FIFA’s last-minute direct sales site were $1,550 to watch Norway against Senegal in the group stage.
More affordable tickets are available on FIFA Marketplace – FIFA’s resale site – where seats for the Norway-Senegal match can be purchased for less than $400.
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