Football fans planning to travel to the 2026 World Cup in New York/New Jersey are facing a major financial hurdle before they even reach the stadium. The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) has slammed the newly announced train fares as "gouging," with a single 30-minute journey from Manhattan's Penn Station to MetLife Stadium costing a staggering $150 (£111).

This price represents an 11-fold increase over the standard $12.90 (£9.50) return fare for the same 18-mile trip. Making matters worse, there are no concession prices for children or seniors, and all tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable. This news comes after initial reports suggested a $100 fare, making the final announcement an even tougher pill to swallow for supporters.

The issue isn't isolated to New Jersey. Fans heading to matches at Boston's Gillette Stadium are also seeing inflated transport costs, with train fares set at $80 (£59) and coach tickets at $95 (£70). This marks a stark departure from recent World Cup tradition, where host nations like Russia and Qatar provided free travel for ticket holders—a perk the United States had initially committed to in its FIFA host agreement.

Thomas Concannon of the FSA's England fans' group expressed deep disappointment, stating the astronomical costs make fans feel anything but welcome. "We don’t understand why," Concannon told BBC Sport, emphasizing that while free transport wasn't expected, being "fleeced" was an unacceptable outcome. With eight matches, including the final and an England group game, set for MetLife Stadium, these transport prices add a significant burden on top of already high match ticket costs, threatening to dampen the tournament experience for traveling supporters.