Registration for a special New York City lottery offering discounted tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup closed within minutes on Monday after overwhelming demand from residents.
The initiative, announced by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, offered 1,000 tickets priced at just $50 each for selected World Cup matches scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium.
According to the mayor’s office, the online registration portal reached its daily entry limit within three minutes of opening at 10 a.m. local time.
The tickets will be distributed across seven matches, including five group-stage fixtures and two knockout-round games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Winners of the lottery will be allowed to purchase up to two tickets each and will also receive free round-trip bus transportation from New York City to the stadium in neighboring New Jersey.
Mayor Mamdani earlier described the program as an effort to make the global football tournament accessible to ordinary New Yorkers amid soaring ticket prices for major sporting events.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to attract millions of fans from around the world, with the New York-New Jersey region hosting several high-profile matches.
