New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is urging commuters to work remotely on Thursday if possible as the evening rush hour is expected to collide with heavy travel for the FIFA World Cup match between Ecuador and Germany at MetLife Stadium.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m., sending tens of thousands of fans to East Rutherford during one of the busiest travel periods of the day.
“If you have the flexibility to work remotely, it can help make your commute a little easier on match day,” Sherrill said in a social media post.
She also encouraged fans heading to the stadium to plan ahead, monitor travel conditions, and use NJ TRANSIT whenever possible.
NJ TRANSIT announced special operating plans for the event, warning that New York Penn Station boarding areas may be reserved for passengers traveling to the match. Officials urged riders to check the latest service advisories and monitor the NJ TRANSIT mobile app for real-time updates.
State officials said Thursday’s afternoon kickoff is expected to create significantly more congestion than Monday night’s World Cup match, which began after much of the evening commute had ended.
The New Jersey Assembly Republican caucus also warned commuters to prepare for delays.
“Monday’s 8 PM start gave commuters a window to get home first. Tomorrow’s 4 PM start doesn’t,” the caucus posted on X. “It’s going to be worse than Monday. Plan now.”
Officials are advising motorists and transit riders to allow extra travel time throughout Thursday afternoon and evening.
