1000 Lucky New Yorkers Win $50 World Cup Tickets Through Lottery
In response to soaring FIFA World Cup ticket prices, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani secured affordable tickets, priced at $50, for New York residents, picking fortunate winners through a six-day lottery.
| 08 Jun 2026 | 03:28
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that he would be awarding 1000 New Yorkers with $50 tickets to FIFA World Cup matches May 21. (Credit: NYC Office of the Mayor)
Mayor Zohran Mamdani called lucky winners of his six-day World Cup ticket lottery, surprising them with the news. (Credit: @NYCMayor)
As the city prepares for the FIFA World Cup, Mayor Mamdani, in partnership with the NYNJ FIFA Host Committee, awarded 1,000 New Yorkers tickets to either one of five group stage matches or two knockout round matches.
The winners, which were selected June 3, had to participate in a six-day lottery, in which 50,000 hopeful New Yorkers entered their name each day. Spanning from Monday May 25th to Saturday May 30th, the lottery opened each day at 10 a.m. until it reached its daily cap of 50,000 entries--often closing within minutes. The selected winners were allowed to purchase up to two tickets each, with approximately 150 ticket winners for each match.
Ticket winners had to be NYC residents, 15 years and older, and the tickets themselves are nontransferable, being handed directly to winners on the day of the match.
In addition to the incredibly reduced ticket price, the ticket also includes a free round-trip bus ride to MetLife stadium. Currently, tickets to the Brazil vs. Morocco Group C stage match on June 13 start at a price point of $3,000 and reach up to $5,200.
Mamdani said the affordable tickets were part of his efforts to ensure at least some New Yorkers would have access to the highly sought-out sporting event.
“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 his announcement of the program. “We sat down with the Host Committee to make certain this tournament belongs to the people who make this city what it is.”
Similarly, Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee, said they wanted to make sure New Yorkers would be able to a part of the World Cup, without the high ticket price.
“From the beginning, we pushed for a program that prioritized affordability and access for New Yorkers and worked closely together to help make that possible,” Lasry said in a press release. “The World Cup will bring the eyes of the world to our region, and it was important to all of us that the people who define New York City could experience it firsthand.”
Fans who entered the lottery but were shut received an email June 5, breaking the news. “Tens of thousands of New Yorkers entered, and we had only 1,000 tickets to offer. We wish we could have put every one of you in those stands — but unfortunately, your name was not drawn.”
Beyond the actual World Cup games, Mamdani also announced additional affordable tickets to the pre-World Cup games, where country teams warm up for the main event. These games were priced at $25 per ticket, available online for the public and selling out ‘quickly.’ Mamdani noted that for New Yorkers who were unable to secure tickets through the affordability programs, the FIFA Fan Fests would remain free in New York City.
On June 7, Mamdani shared a video where he surprised some $50 ticket winners with a personal phone call, congratulating them on being selected. In the video, winners can be heard exclaiming “This is incredible” and “I’m gonna cry.”
The FIFA World Cup is set to kick off with its first match June 11, between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. Eight games, including the final, are slated for NYNJ Stadium, which will revert back to its previous name, Met Life Stadium, once the World Cup ends.