Millions of soccer fans celebrated the start of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday, the first step toward the final game to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. However, the state hosting the final is still at loggerheads with soccer’s world governing body FIFA over ticket prices and the huge travel costs associated with the highly anticipated tournament.
The World Cup is expected to bring millions of tourists to New Jersey and generate significant revenue for the state and its businesses. But state officials are daunted by the high costs of hosting the tournament, which could ultimately be passed on to taxpayers, making it already more expensive for fans to attend games. It’s not just the state. Other venues, including Massachusetts and California, have experienced similar uncertainty in recent weeks and months.
That means some U.S. states still don’t know whether they can benefit financially from hosting World Cup matches. “Our administration inherited an agreement in which FIFA would provide $0 for travel to the World Cup. Zero,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement provided to CNBC. “At the same time, FIFA is making $11 billion from this World Cup and charging fans up to $10,000 for a ticket to the final.”
FIFA did not immediately respond to CNBC Make It’s request for comment.
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New Jersey expects to need to spend $48 million on its transit system, New Jersey Transit, on expanded rail service, shuttles, traffic management and public messaging efforts to accommodate a significant increase in ridership, Sherrill’s office announced in April. Due to increased security, parking will be severely restricted for matches held at suburban stadiums. Suburban stadiums typically have large numbers of fans parking their cars for big events. The governor said he had asked FIFA to offset the cost of transporting 40,000 fans per game to no avail.
“This is an international event, so we need more conductors and more security,” said Daniel Zanzarali, an assistant professor of economics at Seton Hall University. “They’re fixing potholes, they’re installing barriers, they’re doing construction for traffic. All of that (measures) costs money.”
Some of the money would be paid by New Jersey Transit Authority users, which would prompt some backlash from some local residents. New Jersey Transit initially announced in April that round-trip tickets to MetLife Stadium would cost $150 per fan (almost 12 times the regular price), but the state later backtracked and announced in May that it had lowered fares to $98 and made up the difference with additional advertising revenue.
The higher-than-usual New Jersey Transit fares add to the already exorbitant prices of tickets to the World Cup games themselves, with some tickets for the finals being advertised on resale platforms for more than $30,000 each.
Will New Jersey’s investment pay off?
Eight games, including the final, are scheduled for MetLife Stadium, and the World Cup is expected to draw more than 1 million visitors to both New Jersey and neighboring New York. The influx is projected to generate $3.3 billion for the local economy and support more than 26,000 jobs, according to an economic impact summary released by each state’s receiving committee in July 2025.
Some experts argue that the committee’s predictions about the World Cup’s estimated revenue are too optimistic. Zanzarali said these predictions are “hugely exaggerated,” noting they are typically inflated by groups trying to win competitive bidding processes to host major events. A study published in 2007 by economists Robert Baade and Victor Matheson found that when New Jersey and other states hosted matches at the 1994 World Cup, the host cities underperformed the tournament’s economic projections by an average of $712 million.
In April, 80% of U.S. hotels had lower-than-expected bookings for the World Cup, according to a report by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, raising concerns that this year’s tournament could also fall short of economic expectations.
Sherrill’s office said New Jersey is investing millions of dollars in preparation for the World Cup, including providing $35 million to local World Cup organizing committees to support local infrastructure and community efforts. The state also budgeted $120 million for other related costs, including construction and security costs, such as building a pedestrian bridge for fans near MetLife Stadium.
New Jersey currently faces a $1.5 billion structural budget deficit, driven primarily by the loss of federal Medicaid funding and the impending expiration of COVID-19 pandemic aid. The contract and funding agreement for the World Cup was approved by former Governor Phil Murphy’s administration. Now facing her first budget cycle as governor, Sherrill is reassuring voters that the convention will not be a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Some economists are not convinced that the World Cup is an overall boon for states and taxpayers. “New Jersey’s investment in the World Cup is not paying off. Fans may have a good time, but taxpayers will not see a positive net benefit,” Zanzarali said.
But despite complaints from some state officials, Sherrill’s office has expressed confidence that the high-profile event will ultimately be a winner for New Jersey. “Since taking office, Governor Sherrill has worked to ensure that fan transportation costs do not fall on New Jersey taxpayers and commuters, while also investing in initiatives that bring the economic and cultural benefits of the World Cup to communities across the state,” said a spokesperson for Governor Sherrill’s office.
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