New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) posted on social media on 14/6 about its police force "rescuing" a mother and child who missed the last train to MetLife Stadium for the Brazil - Morocco match. NJ Transit stated the mother was in tears at New York's Penn Station, having missed the connection to Secaucus Junction, a key transfer point for travel to New Jersey.

Upon learning of the situation, NJ Transit police quickly intervened, deploying a specialized vehicle to transport the two to MetLife Stadium just in time for kickoff. "The mother was visibly moved upon arrival, shedding tears of relief and gratitude," NJ Transit reported, touting the incident as "good news."

The mother and child speak with police after being escorted to the stadium on time. *Photo: NJ*.

However, the New Jersey public transit agency's promotion of the event quickly drew criticism. Many argued that relying on police to transport two spectators to the stadium indicates a flawed rather than efficient transportation system.

"This is hardly good news," one social media user commented.

"New Jersey's transportation situation must be dire if they consider this 'good news'," another account posted.

Others questioned the allocation of public resources to assist passengers who missed their train for a soccer match.

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, an outer borough of New York. *Photo: AP*.

The controversy arises amid ongoing complaints regarding the cost and capacity of transporting fans to MetLife Stadium, a primary venue for the 2026 World Cup.

Fans traveling from New York's Penn Station to MetLife Stadium were required to purchase World Cup round-trip tickets for 98 USD, a price nearly eight times higher than the regular 12,9 USD fare.

Following the 1-1 draw between Brazil and Morocco, thousands of attendees faced hours of post-match congestion. Roads surrounding the stadium remained gridlocked until around midnight, more than three hours after the final whistle. Many fans resorted to queuing at the ride-sharing pickup zone at the nearby Meadowlands Racetrack.

"I live in the US and have attended numerous major events, but I have never witnessed such a scene. It is truly unbelievable that we are in the US," fan Aline Kubik stated.

Meanwhile, NJ Transit claimed on X that it "successfully transported 21.578 spectators from the stadium by bus and train within 90 minutes." MetLife Stadium is slated to host the World Cup final on 19/7.

By Duc Trung (Sources: Yahoo News, NY Post, USA Today)