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New York City residents will get a chance to purchase $50 World Cup tickets

New York City residents will get a chance to purchase $50 World Cup tickets
Tickets to World Cup matches in the US are selling for hundreds, thousands, even tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. So if you're looking for *** deal, here are some ways to avoid getting scammed. First, only buy tickets through official and trusted channels. Use FIFA.com, the FIFA resale Marketplace, or other trusted platforms. For instance, StubHub told us every buyer is guaranteed valid entry or their money back, and every listing goes through *** fraud prevention review. And Ticketmaster says Ticketmaster resale is *** secure, verified way to ensure authenticity. Next, watch for red flags. Be skeptical of tickets priced significantly below market value. As with most things in life, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And be cautious if someone reaches out to you about tickets. Scammers might tell you to act fast to secure *** deal, or tell you you've won *** lottery that you've never entered. It just doesn't work that way. Be sure to verify security. And authenticity. *** secure website should begin with HTTPS colon slash slash and look for *** closed lock symbol in or near the browser's address bar. If you don't see that, stop. Don't enter any payment information. Do *** quick search online to see what others are saying about the seller and be sure to check the Better Business Bureau for any complaints. Lastly, protect your information. Never provide personal or financial details to unfamiliar websites or sellers. If possible, pay with *** credit. Card. They typically come with better protections than your debit card or an app like Venmo or Cash App can provide. If you think you've fallen for *** scam, here are 4 things to do. First, contact your bank or credit card and immediately dispute the charge. 2, you're going to report the scam to local law enforcement, your state's attorney general, and the Federal Trade Commission. 3, be sure to monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity. And 4, freeze your credit to prevent any further damage. Reporting in New York, I'm Ali Jasinski.
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Updated: 1:40 PM EDT May 21, 2026
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New York City residents will get a chance to purchase $50 World Cup tickets
AP logo
Updated: 1:40 PM EDT May 21, 2026
Editorial Standards
Some lucky New York City residents will soon get a chance to snag cheap seats to this summer's high-priced World Cup.Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday that 1,000 tickets costing $50 will be made available to residents of the city of more than 8 million for the most watched sporting event in the world."To put that into perspective, that is five lattes in New York City," Mamdani quipped from a bar in Harlem's Little Senegal neighborhood alongside U.S. men's national team forward Timothy Weah.About 150 tickets per game will be made available for seven of the eight matches played at the roughly 82,000-seat MetLife Stadium, located across the river from Manhattan in New Jersey. The lone exception is the high demand July 19 final, where some seats now cost nearly $33,000.The tickets will also include free roundtrip bus transportation to the stadium for the ticket holders, the mayor said. They will be distributed via a lottery starting May 25.To prevent scalping, Mamdani said the city would be taking steps to ensure the ones they distribute go to New York City residents and are not resold on the secondary market.He said the tickets will be non-transferrable and that there will be a "variety of ways" city officials will verify residency. They'll also only be handed out directly to the fans as they board the bus on game day."We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create," Mamdani said.The Democrat, who took office in January, said the effort underscores how his administration is not simply focused on making everyday things like housing and groceries more affordable."It extends to making it possible for every New Yorker to take part in the things that make us human," he said.During his campaign, Mamdani had called on FIFA, soccer's global governing body, to make it cheaper for New Yorkers to attend the games by setting aside 15% of tickets at discounted prices for residents. He'd also launched a petition calling on FIFA to reverse its plan to set ticket prices based on demand.The $50 tickets don't come directly from FIFA, but from those allotted to New York and New Jersey's joint host committee for the games, according to the mayor's office.Previously, FIFA had made some $60 tickets available for every game at the tournament in North America after facing backlash for the exorbitant prices for tickets.Those reduced price tickets, though, went to the national federations of the teams playing in the games, with those federations deciding how to distribute them to loyal fans who have attended previous games at home and on the road.Besides the championship game, the home stadium for both the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets is set to host five group World Cup matches and two knockout stage games. Group stage matches for soccer powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany and England, along with other nations, begin June 13.

Some lucky New York City residents will soon get a chance to snag cheap seats to this summer's high-priced World Cup.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday that 1,000 tickets costing $50 will be made available to residents of the city of more than 8 million for the most watched sporting event in the world.

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"To put that into perspective, that is five lattes in New York City," Mamdani quipped from a bar in Harlem's Little Senegal neighborhood alongside U.S. men's national team forward Timothy Weah.

About 150 tickets per game will be made available for seven of the eight matches played at the roughly 82,000-seat MetLife Stadium, located across the river from Manhattan in New Jersey. The lone exception is the high demand July 19 final, where some seats now cost nearly $33,000.

The tickets will also include free roundtrip bus transportation to the stadium for the ticket holders, the mayor said. They will be distributed via a lottery starting May 25.

To prevent scalping, Mamdani said the city would be taking steps to ensure the ones they distribute go to New York City residents and are not resold on the secondary market.

He said the tickets will be non-transferrable and that there will be a "variety of ways" city officials will verify residency. They'll also only be handed out directly to the fans as they board the bus on game day.

"We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create," Mamdani said.

The Democrat, who took office in January, said the effort underscores how his administration is not simply focused on making everyday things like housing and groceries more affordable.

"It extends to making it possible for every New Yorker to take part in the things that make us human," he said.

During his campaign, Mamdani had called on FIFA, soccer's global governing body, to make it cheaper for New Yorkers to attend the games by setting aside 15% of tickets at discounted prices for residents. He'd also launched a petition calling on FIFA to reverse its plan to set ticket prices based on demand.

The $50 tickets don't come directly from FIFA, but from those allotted to New York and New Jersey's joint host committee for the games, according to the mayor's office.

Previously, FIFA had made some $60 tickets available for every game at the tournament in North America after facing backlash for the exorbitant prices for tickets.

Those reduced price tickets, though, went to the national federations of the teams playing in the games, with those federations deciding how to distribute them to loyal fans who have attended previous games at home and on the road.

Besides the championship game, the home stadium for both the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets is set to host five group World Cup matches and two knockout stage games. Group stage matches for soccer powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany and England, along with other nations, begin June 13.

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