The World Cup final wrapped up today in the portmandu place FIFA calls New York New Jersey.
The two states, which shared responsibilities to host eight matches and the final, did so through an uneasy alliance. There were tit-for-tats over which state should get first billing on signs outside the stadium. Their two governors – both Democrats – released dueling transportation plans.
Now, there is at least some evidence that if there’s a chance for them to work together again, New York may be reluctant to pair up with New Jersey – and if it does, officials may want to iron things out ahead of time.
The two border states are thrown together for major sporting events because New York City is a global tourist destination with plenty of hotels, nightlife and attractions. But it has no major sporting venue that can hold more than 50,000 fans. Neighboring New Jersey has MetLife Stadium, which seats 80,000.
The most public spat between the co-hosts came when New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she planned to charge $150 to carry fans to MetLife Stadium for matches, a price she later lowered to $98. She portrayed the high ticket price as an affordability-minded decision to avoid making her residents subsidize World Cup-goers who may have thousands of dollars sitting around to pay for their seats. She also castigated FIFA for refusing to chip in to help pay for transportation.
But New York Gov. Kathy Hochul went the opposite direction and helped lower the cost of a special bus to the matches to $20, viewing affordability in a different framework: how much it cost to get to the match.
At the time, one New York lawmaker, Assemblymember Robert Carroll, who represents Brooklyn, said on X that decisions like Sherrill’s “ensure that the next time New York City hosts the world, partnering with New Jersey won’t even be on the table.”
In June, Hochul tapped Carroll to help evaluate whether New York should bid for the 2042 Winter Olympics.
In an interview before the World Cup final, Carroll said he didn’t anticipate working with New Jersey for the Olympics, because events could take place in the city and in Lake Placid, which has already hosted two Winter Olympics.
Still, Carroll offered a more nuanced view than his social media post. He said the two states are linked for some events. But he remained critical of Sherrill and said things like the New Jersey Transit fares she imposed should be discussed if there is planning for a women’s World Cup, Super Bowl or other major event that involves both states.
“We should not try to harm one another,” Carroll said. “I think that it was very foolish for the governor to kind of put up a punitive tax towards New Yorkers or New York tourists going to World Cup games. And that was a poor decision and I think it shouldn’t happen in the future.”
Sherrill’s office referred a request for comment about Carroll’s comments to her previous remarks, but in a separate interview with POLITICO, the governor accused FIFA of trying not to pay its bills.
There is also at least some thinking in New York that the city will have a place to hold women’s World Cup matches in 2031, when the U.S. is expected to host the tournament.
A 25,000-seat professional soccer stadium, Etihad Park, is set to open next year in Queens.
New York City’s top economic development official, Jeanny Pak, said during a recent event at the French consulate that she’d like to look at hosting the women’s tournament at the new stadium.
“We’re really looking forward to that,” Pak said. “I think we’re really well poised to be the right place for it, so spread the word.”
