New York's Mayor Promised Working-Class Fans Affordable World Cup Tickets And He Just Delivered

Before he was elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani made a very specific promise: working-class New Yorkers would not be priced out of the World Cup happening in their own backyard. Today, he kept it. The city announced a lottery giving 1,000 New York City residents the chance to attend FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at MetLife Stadium for just $50 per ticket,  the cheapest official World Cup tickets in the entire tournament, and the only discounted program negotiated between a host city government and FIFA for 2026. Winners get up to two upper-bowl seats to one of seven matches plus free round-trip bus to the stadium. Mamdani made the announcement in Little Senegal in Harlem, flanked by community leaders in national jerseys and USMNT player Tim Weah. "A World Cup is coming to our backyard," he said, "and we want to ensure working-class New Yorkers have the opportunity to be part of it."

WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW: 

The backstory makes this sweeter. When FIFA announced dynamic pricing last year — final tickets reaching $6,730, Mamdani launched the "Game Over Greed" campaign as a candidate, demanding affordable local tickets. He won, kept pushing, and today the deal is done. "We are making sure working people will not be priced out of the game they love," he said. For fans desperate to attend a World Cup match happening miles from home, $50 just became the best news of the week.

Source:https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/21/zohran-mamdani-world-cup-tickets-new-york-city