Thursday, May 21, 2026-New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a new $50 ticket lottery program for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, offering residents a rare chance to attend matches at a fraction of market prices.
The initiative will provide 1,000 discounted tickets for games at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, excluding the final, with winners selected through a public lottery open only to NYC residents. Each ticket will cost $50 and include free round-trip bus transportation to the stadium.
The program covers seven matches in total—five group-stage games and two knockout-round fixtures—with roughly 150 low-cost seats allocated per match.
Winners will be able to purchase up to two non-transferable tickets, a move designed to prevent scalping and keep access focused on local fans rather than resale markets. The lottery opens on May 25 and will run for several days, with eligibility verification required to confirm NYC residency.
The announcement comes at a time when World Cup pricing in the U.S. has sparked widespread criticism, with standard tickets and resale seats reaching hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Supporters say the initiative is a rare step toward keeping global sporting events accessible to working-class fans, while critics argue the limited number of discounted seats barely dents broader affordability concerns. Still, the program marks a notable shift in how host cities are responding to rising ticket costs—and could set a precedent for future mega-events in the United States.
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