New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has secured 1,000 FIFA World Cup tickets for residents, priced at just $50 each, following negotiations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Lottery Details
City residents can enter a lottery starting Monday at 10 a.m. local time to win the chance to purchase these tickets. Daily entries are capped at 50,000, and each person's residency will be verified. Winners will be notified on June 3 and can buy up to two tickets each.
The tickets include free round-trip bus transportation to New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, where the matches will be held. To prevent scalping, tickets are non-transferable and will be distributed at the bus boarding location.
Background of the Deal
The agreement followed talks between Mamdani and Infantino, including a March conversation about pricing. FIFA approved the deal, but the reduced price does not cost the organization, as the tickets were taken from an allocation bought by the New York-New Jersey World Cup host committee, according to The Athletic.
Mamdani said, "A World Cup is coming to our backyard, and we want to ensure working-class New Yorkers have the opportunity to be part of it." He joked that $50 is equivalent to "five lattes in New York City."
Context on Ticket Pricing
The lottery excludes the final match on July 19. MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches this summer. The initiative comes amid criticism of FIFA's high ticket prices, with some fans paying thousands of dollars. Even President Donald Trump commented, saying he would not pay such prices. Infantino defended the pricing, citing market rates and the resale market in the U.S.
