Mamdani's $50 World Cup ticket lottery fuels feud with N.J. - ESPN

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani proudly announced a deal Thursday that will allow residents of NYC — and only NYC — to buy 1,000 World Cup tickets for $50 each. And before he even finished his news conference, New Jersey officials made it clear what they thought of an arrangement that leaves them out.

«FIFA not caring about costs for New Jersey residents isn't new,» said Stephen Sigmund, a spokesperson for N.J. Gov. Mikie Sherrill. «This is just another reason why Governor Sherrill is working hard to lower costs on our own.»

Officials in both states told ESPN that they see the deal as a reward to Mamdani for wooing FIFA and the New York-New Jersey Host Committee, while Sherrill is essentially being punished for her criticisms of both since taking office in January.

The perception that New York is the favored child seems to be a source of pride for both states.

One New Jersey official said the Garden State will soon be offering its own discounted ticket program, but with the support of corporate sponsors, not the host committee or FIFA.

A spokesperson for Mamdani declined comment on the dynamic. Under the deal Mamdani announced Thursday morning, the tickets are coming from the host committee's own allotment, which were purchased from FIFA at face value.

Two sources familiar with negotiations said the deal needed FIFA's approval, and that Mamdani had worked with FIFA president Gianni Infantino since March to get it.

«We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create,» Mamdani told reporters.

Two New Jersey members of Congress, Democrats Nellie Pou, who represents the district where the stadium is, and Frank Pallone Jr., said they aren't happy with the deal. They sent a