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NYC residents can enter lottery for $50 World Cup tickets, with 1,000 available for New Yorkers
New York City residents will have a chance to buy $50 tickets to select World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium through a new lottery program announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani said the city has secured 1,000 affordable World Cup tickets for New Yorkers. The tickets will be split across seven matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey: five group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches. Each ticket will cost $50. Mamdani joked that the price is about "five lattes in NYC."
NEW YORK - New York City residents will have a chance to buy $50 tickets to select World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium through a new lottery program announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
What we know:
Mamdani said the city has secured 1,000 affordable World Cup tickets for New Yorkers.
The tickets will be split across seven matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey: five group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches.
Each ticket will cost $50. Mamdani joked that the price is about "five lattes in NYC."
The discounted tickets do not include the World Cup final.
Fans who receive tickets will also get free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium.
How the lottery will work
The lottery opens at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25.
New Yorkers can enter once per day. The lottery is only open to New York City residents, and eligibility will be verified.
Mamdani said a person’s chance of getting tickets will not be affected by who they know.
The tickets are designed to go to people who otherwise might not be able to afford a World Cup match, not scalpers. They will not be transferable.
Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, speaks during a FIFA World Cup announcement at Staten Island University Hospital Park Minor League Baseball Stadium in the Staten Island borough of New York, US, on Monday, April 27, 2026. Mamdani and New York Gover …
Why the price matters
Mamdani framed the ticket program as an affordability issue for working New Yorkers.
"As we prepare to host the World Cup, we know that tickets have soared to thousands of dollars," Mamdani said. "We have supporters desperate to see a World Cup match."
He said he made ticket access part of his campaign before taking office.
"Last year I said that we would change that," Mamdani said. "I said we had to make it cheaper for New Yorkers to attend these matches. We are doing exactly that. We are making sure working people will not be priced out of the game they love."
Why the price matters
The $50 price represents a major discount compared with other World Cup tickets at MetLife Stadium.
Recent FIFA pricing for Category 3 seats at MetLife Stadium included $315 for Brazil vs. Morocco, $355 for Ecuador vs. Germany, $255 for England vs. Panama and France vs. Senegal, and $220 for Norway vs. Senegal.
The Athletic reported that Category 3 seats were priced at $280 for the Round of 32 match and $415 for the Round of 16 match.
Those prices are for the primary ticket market. Resale prices can be higher.
Who joined Mamdani
Mamdani was joined by U.S. Men’s National Team player Tim Weah, who Mamdani said cares about World Cup ticket affordability.
Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee, also joined the announcement.
Mamdani opened with personal reflections about the importance of the World Cup and the passion of fans who want to support their teams, including supporters from Senegal.
What they’re saying
"As we prepare to host the World Cup, we know that tickets have soared to thousands of dollars," Mamdani said. "We have supporters desperate to see a World Cup match."
"Last year I said that we would change that," Mamdani said. "I said we had to make it cheaper for New Yorkers to attend these matches. We are doing exactly that. We are making sure working people will not be priced out of the game they love."
Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee, said the host committee was excited to support the program.
"Today, the mayor is delivering on his promise and we are excited to be part of this and stand with him," Lasry said.
"As athletes, it is important for us to have a voice because we are the pillars of this community," Weah said. "We are the leaders of this next generation. As a kid, it was always a dream to be up here. If I can help the next kid get there, it is a wonderful feeling."
What games are included
The 1,000 tickets will be divided into batches of 150 tickets for each of the five group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches included in the program.
The matches are being played at MetLife Stadium, which will host several World Cup games during the tournament.
The program does not include tickets to the final on July 19.
The backstory:
The program follows months of criticism over the cost of World Cup tickets, with fans and elected officials raising concerns that local residents could be priced out of matches in their own region.
The Athletic previously reported that Mamdani raised the issue directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a March meeting at City Hall and that the tickets are being released from an allocation purchased by the joint New York-New Jersey host committee.
What's next:
New York City residents can enter the lottery starting Monday, May 25, at 10 a.m.
Winners will be able to buy up to two tickets each and will receive free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium.
The Source: This article was written using information from The Athletic.