England fans will be banned from walking to Met Life stadium at the World Cup (Image: Getty)
England fans will be banned from walking to MetLife Stadium at the 2026 World Cup because of a New Jersey state law. The 82,500 capacity stadium is set to host eight matches at this summer’s tournament, including the Three Lions’ group match against Panama and the World Cup final.
Fans of Norway, Brazil and France will also make their way to the stadium, which is completely shut off to pedestrians. It means the only access to the Met Life Stadium is via car, bus or the controversial train service running from nearby New York City.
The stadium is located around 12 miles from New York City, and is entirely surrounded by car parks and highways. There is no designated pedestrian access, and New Jersey statute states it is unlawful for members of the public to walk on or beside highways.
When quizzed about this, Charles Marchan, a New Jersey State Police spokesman, told North Jersey: “For the safety of all FIFA World Cup attendees, pedestrian traffic is strictly prohibited on the roadways surrounding MetLife Stadium. Walking on these roadways creates a significant safety hazard for both pedestrians and motorists.”
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Asked whether World Cup fans would be punished if caught walking, he added: “The objective is not to issue tickets or summonses, but rather to ensure public safety.”
It comes after news that a return ticket to MetLife Stadium from New York’s Penn Station will cost a whopping £110 ($150), with the regular price for NFL matches coming in at £9.50 ($12.90). Alternatively, bus travel is available to the stadium, but that will set fans back an astonishing £60 ($80).
Met Life Stadium is completely inaccessible to pedestrians (Image: Getty)
New Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, addressed the controversy, saying: “In the Fifa World Cup agreement that my Administration inherited, Fifa put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans. It also eliminated parking at MetLife Stadium, putting the burden of transporting four times more matchday riders than typical for an event at the stadium on NJ Transit.
“This agreement will cost NJ Transit at least $48 million, while FIFA is positioned to make $11 billion during the World Cup,” she wrote in a post on Friday. As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidising World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ Transit every day.”
FIFA hit back at the governor’s comments, with World Cup chief event operations officer Heimo Schirigi responding: “Ever since the host city agreements were signed in 2018, FIFA has worked in collaboration with the Host Committees and their partners to develop a transportation plan that provides efficient and accessible mass transit options for ticketed fans attending the eight matches at NY NJ Stadium.
“The goal is to minimise congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and ensure the fan experience is positive and memorable defined by the action on the pitch, not delays on the road.”
