Republican members of the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees called on May 22 for a joint hearing with the NYNJ FIFA 2026 Host Committee after it was revealed that New Jersey taxpayer funds were used to provide discounted World Cup tickets exclusively to New York City residents.
The lawmakers are seeking transparency regarding the use of $50 million in state funds, which they say were allocated to support hosting World Cup matches in New Jersey. The issue arose when New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a deal with FIFA and the Host Committee granting all 1,000 discounted tickets—priced at $50 each—to city residents through a lottery system. No tickets from this allocation were made available to New Jersey residents.
“New Jersey residents, whose state is physically hosting these matches and whose tax dollars helped make them possible, are excluded entirely,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter addressed to Senate Budget Chairman Paul A. Sarlo and Assembly Budget Chairwoman Eliana Pintor Marin. “This arrangement raises questions that go well beyond what we asked in April.”
In their previous correspondence, Republican committee members requested a hearing with the Host Committee and its chair, former first lady Tammy Murphy, aiming to clarify how public funds would be spent and ensure accountability. They now ask for details about the agreement that led to exclusive ticket access for New York City residents, an accounting of legislative appropriations made to the committee, and information on negotiations between state officials and the committee.
“The Host Committee’s CEO, Alex Lasry, chose to attend Mayor Mamdani’s announcement in Harlem on May 21 rather than an event in Newark planned for the same morning. That choice, while symbolic, reflects a pattern that the Legislature can no longer overlook: New Jersey’s taxpayers are being used by the Host Committee to benefit New York City politicians and residents,” said GOP lawmakers.
With East Rutherford set as host for opening matches beginning June 13, legislators urged Sarlo and Pintor Marin to convene a joint hearing before June 9. “The Legislature has both the standing and the responsibility to demand answers before additional funds are committed and before the first match is played,” they said. “The public record on this event must be established while action is still possible.”
John DiMaio has served as Minority Leader since 2022 after joining the General Assembly in 2009; he previously held roles such as Appropriations Officer from 2012–2017 and Budget Officer from 2018–2019. He also represented District 23—including Hackettstown—and served as mayor there from 1991–1999 according to the official legislative roster.
