World Cup Games Could Bring Billions to New York/New Jersey Area

The FIFA 2026 World Cup promises to generate billions in revenue for the New York/New Jersey area alone, which will host games at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The venue has been renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament, and there’s no shortage of nearby extravagances for soccer fans. On Manhattan’s Upper East Side sits The Mark Hotel, a luxury five-star property offering several package deals for those staying across the Hudson River from the stadium. According to The Mark’s website, its ultimate World Cup package can be had for $1 million.

For that price, six people can enjoy a four-night stay, along with tickets to the games, a penthouse suite, private helicopter rides back and forth to MetLife, a cruise around New York harbor in The Mark’s 70-foot-long sailboat with catering, an on-call massage therapist, and 24-hour butler service.

Then there’s the Greek eatery Calissa in the upscale Hamptons in New York’s Suffolk County. The sum of $50,000 gets you a private party for eight. Included are food, high-end champagne, and the ability to watch the games on the Calissa’s 12-foot TV screen.

FIFA estimates the tournament will generate $8.9 billion in total revenue, mostly from broadcast rights and ticket sales. Outlays will include a record $871 million in team compensation. Estimates are that each of the 48 teams—up from 32 four years ago—will earn a minimum of $12.5 million, an increase of $2 million from the 2022 World Cup.

Ticket sale revenue alone could be staggering. Four tickets for sale posted in April on FIFA’s Resale/Exchange Marketplace were being offered for just under $2.3 million—each. These seats for the July 19 World Cup final are located behind a goal, in the lower bowl; Block 124, Row 45, seats 33–36.

While FIFA doesn’t control the asking price of tickets posted on its resale/exchange marketplace, it does take a 15 percent purchase fee from the buyer, and a 15 percent resale fee from the seller.

Shuttling fans to and from the stadium promises to be a precision-led process with thousands of workers at the helm. Travel from a station at New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal will run fans $20 round-trip. N.J. Transit meanwhile is offering round-trip train services for $98. It’s expected that 40,000 fans will be moved by rail per game. That’s half of all the seats in the stadium.

Train tickets were initially proposed at $150. The price was first dropped to $105, then further subsidized to the current $98 fee. Any further reduction would be up to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

Fox has exclusive English-language broadcast rights to World Cup games in the United States. The plan is for 70 games to be shown on its main network, with the other 34 of the tournament’s 104 games to be aired on FS1. Telemundo has the exclusive Spanish-language broadcast rights in the United States for the FIFA World Cup. The 2022 FIFA World Cup’s final game between Argentina and France peaked in viewership on FOX at more than 25 million.

FIFA World Cup organizers estimate that the New York/New Jersey regional impact of the eight games at MetLife Stadium will be $3.3 billion. According to the New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee, more than 1 million visitors are expected to arrive, generating an expected $432 million in state and local tax revenues. Projected spending in the region by consumers, whether attending the match or not, is $1.7 billion, and workers in the regional economy are expected to earn more than $1.3 billion in income.

“With kickoff just days away, our region is ready to welcome the world,” said NYNJ Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry on Thursday at NYC.gov. “This level of preparation doesn’t happen overnight—it is the result of years of collaboration among transportation agencies, public safety agencies, public officials and government partners across New York and New Jersey.

“Thanks to the leadership of Gov. [Kathy] Hochul, Mayor [Zohran] Mamdani, the MTA and countless partners, fans will have safe and reliable ways to travel throughout the tournament while residents continue to move around the region.”

The true stars of the tournament are the players. However, those leading the charge of moving tens of thousands of fans daily, by air, rail, bus, and personal vehicles are deserving of a shoutout.