🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
World Cup fans face $150 train fare for New York to Meadowlands Stadium route
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
World Cup fans will be charged $150 for a 36-mile 58-km round-trip train journey between New York and Meadowlands Stadium, where eight matches, including the final, will be held. NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri confirmed the fare for the route to MetLife Stadium. Only 40,000 train tickets will be available per game, a significant increase from the typical $12.90 return rail trip. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill attributed the price hike to FIFA, citing a $48 million state bill for fan safety at the stadium. Sherrill stated that FIFA should cover transportation costs, or New Jersey commuters would not bear the expense. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed this sentiment, calling for FIFA to fund transport. FIFA, facing criticism over high match ticket prices, expressed surprise at the New Jersey Governor's approach, stating that original host city agreements required free fan transportation. While a renegotiation stipulated transport "at cost," FIFA noted that no other major event at NYNJ Stadium required organizers to pay for fan transportation. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also criticized the reported price, calling a fare over $100 for a short train ride "awfully high." Local media reports indicate that $10.4 million in US federal funding has been allocated to the New York-New Jersey area for transit network costs, part of $100 million for host cities.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 10 countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadDonald Trump's ongoing public disagreements with Pope Leo are causing concern among some American Catholics, a significant voting demographic. Trump has criticized Pope Leo on various issues, including Iran and immigration, and recently called the pontiff "weak." Pope Leo, born in Chicago, has stated his moral obligation to speak against war. Some Catholics, like 88-year-old Jim Supp, expressed anger over Trump's questioning of the Pope's theological views and a deleted AI-generated image that appeared to depict Trump as a Christ-like figure, which 68-year-old John O’Brian considered "blasphemy." Pope Leo has also warned about AI abuse without directly referencing Trump's post. Traditionally, US presidents have avoided strong criticism of popes to maintain support from American Catholics. However, Trump has not followed this tradition, despite winning the 2024 election with a majority of Catholic votes. The Middle East conflict has been a point of contention, with Pope Leo condemning Trump's threat to attack Iranian civilization as "unacceptable," to which Trump responded by calling the pontiff "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." This public sparring could pose a vulnerability for Republicans in the upcoming midterms. Anthony Clark, a policy fellow, acknowledged Trump's good intentions but noted his imprudence in approaching controversial topics. Others, like 22-year-old Carolina Herrera, respected Pope Leo for standing his ground against the administration. Whi
Must ReadNigeria has secured approximately $83 million in financing, backed by the International Finance Corporation, to expand off-grid electricity access to rural and underserved communities. This funding, mobilized under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up programme, was announced by Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme and DARES Project Lead. The financing agreement was signed during the World Bank Group and IMF Spring Meetings 2026 in Washington, D.C., and will support private developers in deploying mini-grids and solar home systems in areas without reliable electricity. This initiative signifies a shift from pilot projects to large-scale deployment of off-grid renewable energy solutions, aiming to improve electricity access for millions of Nigerians. The first phase of financing includes companies such as Darway Coast, PriVida Power, Prado Power, GVE Projects, and StarTimes Smart Energy, with other developers included in the next phase. The funds are structured as a revolving debt facility, backed by the IFC, providing long-term, affordable financing to renewable energy developers by blending concessional and commercial capital. IFC Managing Director, Makhtar Diop, highlighted this as an example of blended finance addressing ecosystem constraints. Sanyade Okolie, Special Adviser on the Economy, representing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, stated the Federal Government's commitment to
The Federal Government has introduced emergency hotlines and a WhatsApp channel for reporting school bullying cases, following a Stakeholders Consultative Dialogue on Anti-Bullying in Schools organized by International Alert Nigeria in Abuja. The initiative aims to address the widespread issue of bullying in Nigerian schools, where studies indicate 70 to 85 percent of students have experienced it. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, represented by Assistant Director Gender, Augustina Apakasa, announced the ministry's reporting channels: 09012660044 for calls, 08052536133 for WhatsApp messages, and antibullying@education.gov.ng for emails. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons NAPTIP, represented by Director, Violence Against Persons Prohibition, Rebecca Enwusoyele, also provided a toll-free short code, 627, and an email address, @naptip.com.gov, noting that while bullying is not explicitly mentioned in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015, sections on intimidation, threat, and placing someone in fear can be applied. The National Safe School Response Coordination Centre, represented by Special Assistant Adebola Adeoye, also urged the public to use its hotline, 09131232323. Programme Manager of International Alert Nigeria, Sunday Jimoh, stated that a communiqué and advocacy note would be produced to engage policymakers on the implementation of existing anti-bullying legislation.
Must ReadThe United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF and the Government of the Republic of Korea have initiated a routine immunisation investment in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State. This program aims to reach thousands of zero-dose children across Nigeria. UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, highlighted the initiative as crucial for closing immunisation gaps and protecting vulnerable children, noting that Nigeria has an estimated 2.2 million zero-dose children, the highest number in Africa. Saeed emphasized that the challenge is not a lack of vaccines but issues of access and equity, and commended the Federal Government for prioritizing immunisation. The Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Lagos, Lee Sang Ho, stated that Korea will contribute $70 million globally to the project, with $5.6 million allocated to Nigeria. This funding will support efforts in 40 local government areas across Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Bauchi, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory, focusing on reducing zero-dose vaccinations and strengthening immunisation systems. Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, affirmed that the initiative aligns with the state's commitment to inclusive healthcare and ensuring equitable access to quality immunisation for every child.