NJ Transit Keeps World Cup Schedule Despite Knicks NBA Finals

NJ Transit announced it will maintain its existing World Cup service schedule and will not add extra trains for a possible Knicks NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden. The team reached the finals for the first time in nearly 30 years, raising the possibility that Game 6 could fall on June 8, the same date as several World Cup matches.

Transit stated that World Cup operations take priority because they involve international visitors and multiple events across the region. The agency said its current timetable already includes additional trains for soccer matches and cannot accommodate simultaneous NBA demand.

The New York Times reported that resale prices for Knicks finals games at Madison Square Garden have climbed well above face value in the first days after the team clinched its berth. Fans told the newspaper that many lower-level seats now exceed $1,000 on secondary markets.

Without added rail service, supporters leaving a June 8 evening game would rely on regular NJ Transit schedules that end earlier than special-event extensions. The agency has not announced any contingency measures for basketball crowds. >"NJ Transit won’t change World Cup plans for Knicks finals game — favoring soccer tourists over local sports fans.

— New York Post, May 2026