Mayor Zohran Mamdadi unveiled a program granting New Yorkers exclusive access to 1,000 tickets for the World Cup at $50 each. The tickets, drawn from the host committee’s FIFA‑allocated pool, will be distributed via a lottery on Monday. New York residents can also board free buses to the seven matches scheduled before the final in New Jersey.

New Jersey officials blasted the deal as a snub, noting that only 0.17% of tickets for the seven games become affordable for local fans. Governor Mikie Sherrill’s office highlighted a $3.6 million allocation to discount NJ Transit fares and redirected $5 million from a Liberty State Park fan fest to community events, underscoring the state’s statewide push for broader access.

Both states accuse the other of favoritism. New Jersey’s congressional delegation, including Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone, sent a letter to FIFA demanding transparency on ticket policies, calling the lottery “opaque.” Meanwhile, New York officials argue the program fulfills Mamdadi’s campaign promise to keep the sport affordable for the working class, a publicly claim FIFA officials say the host committee vetted before release.