Josh Gottheimer

A member of New Jersey's congressional delegation is objecting to the state's plans to increase sales taxes and fees in the Meadowlands during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the Bergen County Democrat who represents New Jersey's 5th Congressional District — which does not include the Meadowlands — said he opposes a plan to hike sales taxes and fees during the sporting spectacle in June and July.

Gottheimer sent a letter to Gov. Mikie Sherrill, state Senate President Nick Scutari, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and NJ Transit President Kris Kolluri to express his “deep concern” about proposed state legislation that hikes sales taxes and adds fees and surcharges to things soccer fans may purchase at or near MetLife Stadium during the World Cup.

“People in our state are already stretched too thin, and we should not ask them to cover even more costs of the FIFA World Cup,” Gottheimer wrote. “New Jersey [residents] should benefit from hosting the World Cup — not be nickel-and-dimed at every turn to foot the bill.”

Gottheimer said New Jersey residents should be exempted from paying additional sales taxes during the tournament.

How will NJ's 2026 FIFA World Cup sales tax increases work?

With New Jersey on the hook for more than $307 million for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officials in Trenton have been considering solutions to recoup that money or mitigate spending still to come.

The tournament is set to include eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, though FIFA is renaming the stadium to New York New Jersey Stadium.

Among the ideas to balance out some of those taxpayer dollars already spent is an increased sales tax and other surcharges on certain goods and services in a limited region surrounding the stadium complex during the five-week window of the tournament this spring and summer.

Legislation was introduced in March by state Sen. Paul Sarlo, who represents the Meadowlands. It includes a hotel and motel occupancy surcharge of 2.5%, a 3% increase to New Jersey's state sales tax for “tangible personal property,” prepared food, soft drinks and alcohol and admission to a “place of amusement,” and a 50-cent fee on "prearranged" transportation rides to or from the Meadowlands. There would also be a 10% surcharge for gambling on the World Cup paid by casinos or joint sports wagering operations to be paid to the Casino Revenue Fund.

The bill would increase the sales tax within the Meadowlands District — an area defined by state statute that includes Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Little Ferry, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Ridgefield, Rutherford, South Hackensack and Teterboro in Bergen County and Jersey City, Kearny, North Bergen and Secaucus in Hudson County.

The bill's additional taxes and fees are focused on tourists. New Jersey residents who pay any of the additional taxes or fees would be allowed to claim credits when they file their taxes.

Sherrill says NJ residents should not subsidize tournament costs

Since taking office, Sherrill has stressed that she doesn't want New Jersey residents to pay the price for fees associated with the tournament.

Most recently, she engaged in a war of words with FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the cost of train tickets to the stadium during the tournament and what FIFA was contributing.

Sherrill noted that the plan her administration “inherited” would cost the transit agency upward of $48 million to move fans, and that she wasn’t about to let the state’s residents and commuters subsidize an international organization projected to rake in $11 billion from the tournament.

Infantino fired back that it’s not up to FIFA to pay for public services and that the initial agreement signed in 2023 called for free public transportation.

That agreement was signed by representatives from former Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration. The free public transportation requirement was walked back after NorthJersey.com reported on it.

Murphy’s wife, Tammy Murphy, is serving as chair of the regional host committee.