Soccer enthusiasts heading to the World Cup will be charged $150 for a railway pass to the New York arena, according to authorities.

World Cup spectators traveling between New York and Meadowlands Stadium will face a hefty $150 fee for the 36-mile round-trip train journey, according to local officials who made the announcement on Friday.

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This costly fare is significantly higher than the usual $12.90 return rail trip to the New Jersey sports complex, where 40,000 train tickets will be available for each of the eight matches, including the final.

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Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of NJ Transit, confirmed the $150 round-trip ticket price, explaining that it applies to travel from New York to MetLife Stadium and back.

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New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has attributed the price hike to FIFA, citing the state's $48 million bill for ensuring fan safety during the eight matches at MetLife Stadium.

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Sherrill expressed her reluctance to burden New Jersey commuters with this expense, stating that FIFA, which is expected to generate $11 billion from the World Cup, should cover the costs instead.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shared Sherrill's sentiment, suggesting on social media that FIFA should bear the transportation costs for World Cup venues.

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FIFA responded with a statement criticizing the transport price hike, referencing the original host city agreements that required free transportation for fans attending matches.

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The organization noted that at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, fans could use the Doha Metro for free with their matchday tickets, and a re-negotiation had stipulated that transport would be offered at cost on match days.

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FIFA expressed surprise at the New Jersey Governor's approach to fan transportation, highlighting the economic impact of the World Cup and the millions of fans it will bring to North America.

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The organization also pointed out that it is unaware of any other major event where organizers were required to pay for fan transportation, including other sports and global concert tours.

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul also criticized the reported price hike, describing the over $100 fee for a short train ride as "awfully high".

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A total of $100 million in US federal funding has been allocated to host cities for transit network costs, with $8.7 million going to Boston and Massachusetts, and $10.4 million to the New York-New Jersey area, according to local media reports.