FIFA’s plan to cut up the World Cup final pitch at MetLife Stadium and sell it to fans as souvenirs has run into resistance from New Jersey officials, who say the state deserves a share of the proceeds after helping foot the bill to prepare the field.
Under FIFA’s plan, patches of the natural grass from the championship match will be cut into individually numbered cubes and sold for between $450 and $3,000 each, with the priciest tier including a gold-etched replica ticket and a crystal-cut glass trophy.
Governor Mikie Sherrill’s office has objected to FIFA keeping all the proceeds, arguing that New Jersey taxpayers helped fund the roughly $13 million effort to prepare the pitch itself, on top of a separate $35 million the state budgeted for World Cup infrastructure and community initiatives and another $120 million in other tournament-related costs.
“As the governor has said, New Jersey paid multiple millions for the total expense for the pitch at MetLife Stadium, so New Jersey taxpayers should share in any proceeds,” said governor’s office spokesperson Maggie Garbarino.
The World Cup Host Committee pushed back on the idea that the state was being shortchanged. “Investments, including the pitch, made by New Jersey, New York State, New York City, the federal government, and our partners have generated billions of dollars in economic impact,” said committee spokesperson Natalie Hamilton.
The dispute touches on broader questions about how much the region stands to gain from hosting the tournament. FIFA has projected roughly $3 billion in ticket revenue from the World Cup, though at least one economist estimates the real figure could run closer to $7.5 billion — with FIFA also retaining broadcasting, merchandise, and concession revenue under its current agreements with host cities and states.
It remains unclear whether New Jersey has any legal path to force FIFA to share turf-sale proceeds, or whether the dispute will be resolved informally before the souvenir grass goes on sale.
Source: Gothamist.