NYC Lottery Offers 1,000 $50 World Cup Tickets

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on May 21 that New York City had secured 1,000 reduced-price tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup for city residents, setting the price at $50 a seat and adding free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium. The city said the tickets were obtained in partnership with the NYNJ Host Committee and would be distributed through a lottery open only to New York City residents age 15 and older. (nyc.gov) The announcement came as World Cup demand has surged through FIFA’s official sales process, which the governing body said had already moved nearly 2 million tickets across its first two general-public phases. The city framed the program as a way to place local residents inside the stadium during a tournament that has generated heavy demand and high prices through official channels. “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 the city’s announcement. (nyc.gov) FIFA has said fans should buy only through official channels, including its ticketing platform and hospitality program. ### Who can enter, and when does the lottery open? Monday, May 25, at 10 a.m. is when entry opens at regnyctix.com, according to the Mayor’s Office. The city said the lottery is open to New York City residents who are at least 15 years old. (nyc.gov) Entries close on Saturday, May 30, at midnight. The rules allow New Yorkers to enter once per day, with a daily cap of 50,000 entries. Winners will be selected randomly, the city said, and notified on Wednesday, June 3. ### What exactly do winners get for $50? The $50 price covers one seat to a World Cup match and free round-trip bus transportation to MetLife Stadium, the city said. (nyc.gov) Winners may buy up to two tickets each. The 1,000-ticket pool spans five group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches, with about 150 tickets allocated per game, according to the Mayor’s Office. (nyc.gov) The city said tickets will be nontransferable and handed directly to winners at the official boarding location on the day of each match, a measure it said is intended to prevent scalping. ### Which matches are included in the city’s ticket block? Seven matches are included in the city program: five group-stage games and two knockout-round games, according to the Mayor’s Office. The city did not list individual fixtures in the announcement, but said the offer applies to matches at MetLife Stadium, the venue serving the New York-New Jersey host region. (nyc.gov) FIFA has described the 2026 tournament as the first 48-team World Cup and said ticket demand has been strong enough that the event is on track to become the most-attended men’s World Cup in history. FIFA also said official ticket sales have been conducted in phases through FIFA.com/tickets, with applicants notified by email in draw-based windows. (nyc.gov) ### How did City Hall describe the deal? Harlem was the setting for Mamdani’s announcement, which the city said took place in Little Senegal alongside residents, African community leaders and elected officials wearing jerseys from tournament nations tied to New York City communities. Mamdani said the city had worked with the Host Committee “to make certain this tournament belongs to the people who make this city what it is.” (nyc.gov) Maya Handa, identified by the city as NYC World Cup czar, said the mayor had pushed to ensure “working New Yorkers would be in the stands when the World Cup comes home to New York.” The Mayor’s Office said the ticket program followed months of collaboration with the NYNJ Host Committee focused on affordability and access. (fifa.com) ### What happens next for applicants? Wednesday, June 3, is the date winners are scheduled to be notified, according to the city. Successful applicants will then be able to purchase as many as two tickets for $50 each, with transportation included. (nyc.gov) The next step for anyone seeking a city ticket is the May 25 opening of the lottery at regnyctix.com. Fans not using the city program can continue to pursue seats through FIFA’s official ticketing channels, which FIFA says remain the authorized route for World Cup ticket purchases. (nyc.gov)