This browser does not support the Video element.
Over 700 free World Cup tickets to NJ residents
FOX 5 NY's Teresa Priolo has the details.
NEW JERSEY - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially just one day away, with the opening match set to kick off Thursday in Mexico City.
For soccer fans in the tri-state area, the action hits close to home this Saturday when the tournament arrives at the Meadowlands. To celebrate the historic event, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced a special initiative to ensure some of the state's residents get to experience the World Cup in person.
By the numbers:
Gov. Sherrill revealed on Tuesday that 770 free tickets to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium will be distributed to various groups across the Garden State.
- 500 tickets for youth soccer clubs, National Guard members and their families, and Bergen County first responders assisting with the World Cup.
- 200 tickets for Hackensack to distribute among frontline nurses, health care workers, hospital pediatric patients and critically ill children
- 70 tickets for people who visit and support local small businesses during the World Cup through the "Welcome World Rewards" program
What they're saying:
Speaking on the opportunity to provide these tickets to children facing severe health challenges, Gov. Sherrill highlighted the emotional impact of the initiative.
"We get to grant that wish," she said. "These kids, and so many like them, have shown tremendous courage, more than most of us will ever be called to find. And what we can do is give them and their families a day of joy."
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the Office of the New Jersey Governor.