NJ TRANSIT HOSTS SECOND LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION EVENT WORKSHOP IN ADVANCE OF FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
Second International Workshop Shared Insights and Best Practices for Large-Scale Event Preparedness and Execution
October 22, 2024
NEWARK, NJ -- In advance of hosting the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 finals and FIFA World Cup 2026 finals, along with additional matches at MetLife Stadium, NJ TRANSIT hosted a second Public Transport and Large Events workshop at Rutgers Newark with transit leaders and event-planning experts from around the world to share insights and best practices for planning and executing large-scale events. The workshop – on October 21st and 22nd – was held in partnership with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT).
“NJ TRANSIT is proud to once again bring together global transit and security experts as part of our ongoing workshop series, ensuring that our transportation system is ready for the scale of the World Cup,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “By sharing insights and global best practices, we will ensure a fun and safe fan experience for all those visiting our region to attend one or more of the World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium.”
“As the NYNJ region readies to host FIFA World Cup 2026™, we are focusing on optimizing our transit, infrastructure, and security capabilities. While we in NYNJ host more global events than any other US area, the workshops hosted by UITP and NJ TRANSIT help us better prepare for this once in a lifetime special event,” said Lauren LaRusso and Bruce Revman, Co-Host City Managers of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ NYNJ Host Committee. “We look forward to continuing to partner with our world-class transportation partners as we welcome the world in 2026 and showcase reliable, fast, and sustainable mobility on our roads and rails.”
“Workshops such as this are an opportunity to learn from cities which have hosted large events and allow for the sector to become more informed, to adopt best practices, and to implement these new learnings in their own companies to best prepare them for increased usage of their network,” said UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani. “I’m pleased that our partnership with NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers CAIT continues to offer such rich resources.”
“The workshop brings national and international experts to share insights into improving transportation efficiency for the upcoming FIFA event,” said Rutgers CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher. “It aims to enhance service and reliability through collaboration and innovative solutions.”
The first Public Transport and Large Events workshop took place in June of 2024 and focused on preparedness, collaboration between agencies, best practices, and execution of all aspects of public transportation to large scale events. The second workshop focused on takeaways from the 2024 Paris Olympics including:
- Crowd Management
- Mobility / Transport Management
- Security
- Integrated Ticketing
- Travel Information / Wayfinding
- Officials Travel
In recent years, NJ TRANSIT has seen great success in safely transporting sports fans and concertgoers to and from MetLife Stadium including for the stadium’s record-breaking attendance at last year’s Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Ed Sheeran concerts.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
About Rutgers CAIT
Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) tackles some of the country’s most pressing infrastructure challenges, especially those that are endemic in high-volume multimodal corridors like the Northeast. The bulk of our efforts fall within several broad areas: assessing and monitoring the health of bridges, roads, and pipelines; creating and implementing revolutionary technologies, materials, and tools; formulating strategies to prolong the service life of infrastructure; and training the current and future workforce. Since 1998, CAIT has been a University Transportation Center (UTC)—a group of academic research institutions sanctioned and supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It was named one of only five National UTCs in 2013 and has led the Region 2 UTC since 2018.
About UITP
The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) works to enhance quality of life and economic well-being by supporting and promoting sustainable transport in urban areas worldwide. As a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility, UITP is internationally recognized for its work to advance the development of this critical policy agenda. With more than 1,900 members in 100 countries, UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes. Visit the website and follow us on Twitter.