NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently announced a lottery for $50 FIFA World Cup tickets for New Yorkers. The announcement comes after recent fan backlash over World Cup ticket prices. Previously, President Donald Trump had commented that he wouldn’t pay a four-figure sum for the tickets.
Zohran Mamdani announces $50 World Cup tickets
Zohran Mamdani recently revealed that New Yorkers can get FIFA World Cup tickets for just $50 through a new lottery.
The NYC mayor announced that 1,000 tickets will be released for five group-stage matches and two knockout games. These games will be played at MetLife Stadium. According to a report by The Guardian, Mamdani said, “As we prepare to host the World Cup right outside of New York City, we know that ticket prices for this tournament have soared into the thousands of dollars.” He acknowledged that many New Yorkers wish to attend a World Cup match but cannot afford it. Mamdani added that while many people felt it won’t be easy to get a chance to watch the World Cup, his lottery idea is a “glimpse of an opportunity.”
Under the new scheme, New Yorkers can enter the lottery and sign up once a day from May 25. After a citizen wins a ticket, they will get the chance to buy another one. The lottery will be open for six days.
Mamdani also posted a video on his X account with the caption, “1,000 World Cup tickets. $50 each. All for New Yorkers. We fought hard to make the people’s game available to the people — and won. Let the summer of soccer begin.”
Previously, USA Today reported that FIFA has priced a premium ticket for the World Cup final at $32,970. This received immense criticism from soccer fans. Moreover, Donald Trump also called out a $1,000 ticket price and told The New York Post, “I did not know that number. I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
Originally reported by Ishita Verma on Mandatory.
