1,000 $50 World Cup Tickets for NYC Residents

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said on May 21 that New York City had secured 1,000 discounted tickets for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, reserving them for city residents at $50 a seat. The tickets were obtained in partnership with the New York-New Jersey Host Committee, according to the mayor’s office. Each ticket will include free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium, where the region’s World Cup matches will be played. City officials said the offer is limited to New York City residents and will be distributed through a lottery. The May 21 announcement came at Harlem’s Little Senegal, where Mamdani appeared with city officials and host committee representatives. “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,” Mamdani said in a city release. Maya Handa, the city’s World Cup czar, said the mayor had pushed from early discussions for ways to make the tournament more affordable for residents. ### Who can enter for the $50 tickets? New York City residents age 15 and older can enter the lottery, according to the mayor’s office. The city said entrants will need to provide proof of residency if selected. The city said the lottery is open only to residents of the five boroughs. Winners will be chosen at random, and each winner can buy up to two tickets. ### When does the lottery open, and how long does it run? Monday, May 25, at 10 a.m. is the opening time for entries, according to the city. The entry period is scheduled to close on Saturday, May 30, at midnight. The website listed by the city is regnyctix.com. The mayor’s office said residents may enter once per day during the entry window, with a cap of 50,000 entries per day. ### How many matches are covered by the program? Seven matches are included in the ticket block, the mayor’s office said. The program covers five group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches. About 150 tickets will be allocated per game, according to the city. The matches are part of the 2026 World Cup schedule at MetLife Stadium in the New York-New Jersey region, which FIFA identifies as a host area for the tournament. ### What is the city doing to stop resale? Nontransferable tickets are one of the main anti-scalping rules in the program, according to the mayor’s office. The city said tickets will be distributed directly to winners at the official boarding location on the day of each match. Free bus transportation is tied to that same pickup process. The city said winners will receive round-trip transportation from the boarding location to MetLife Stadium, rather than getting tickets in advance that could be resold. (nyc.gov) ### Who was involved in putting the plan together? The New York City mayor’s office said the ticket block was secured with the New York-New Jersey Host Committee after months of discussions. Alex Lasry, identified in the city transcript as chief executive of the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York-New Jersey Host Committee, attended the announcement in Harlem. (nyc.gov) Maya Handa said in the city transcript that Mamdani had been pressing for affordability from her first conversations after taking the role. The mayor’s office described the program as part of a broader effort to make World Cup events and activities more accessible to New Yorkers. (nyc.gov) ### What happens after someone enters? Wednesday, June 3, is the date the city gave for notifying winners. Selected residents will then be able to purchase as many as two tickets at the $50 price. FIFA’s ticketing page says World Cup tickets are being sold in phases, with availability and processes varying by phase. The city’s resident lottery runs separately from FIFA’s broader public sales process and is tied specifically to this 1,000-ticket local allocation. (nyc.gov) (nyc.gov)