USA Soccercast, Episode 183: WNT finishes strong, Crocker leaves, and World Cup price gouging

A banner for the Fifa World Cup at Secaucus Junction station in Secaucus, New Jersey, US, on Friday, April 17, 2026. New Jersey Transit plans to announce a special FIFA ticket on Friday that could cost more than $100 for riders going to MetLife Stadium for World Cup games. Photographer: Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images

We discuss a few different topics on Episode 183 of the USA Soccercast, from the USWNT winning to World Cup transit pricing!

First, the USWNT closed out their series with Japan with a statement win. We discuss the window for the team and what we will see moving forward from them as they get ready for this fall’s Concacaf W Championship. We also get into the departure of US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker as he leaves the federation for a similar role with Saudi Arabia. We discuss the timing of his announcement as well as how it will affect the structure of the federation approaching the World Cup and beyond.

After the break, we get into some of the news surrounding the 2026 World Cup, first addressing the unsourced rumor that tailgating had been banned by FIFA. We discuss what will actually happen and why it’s important for FIFA to get in front of some of the information coming out that affects ticket holders for this summer’s tournament. We then get into the price gouging, especially in the area of public transit to the stadiums. We discuss the wild plans that New Jersey and Boston have that include astronomical prices for trains and buses, while giving kudos to cities like Philadelphia who are getting fans to and from the matches at a free or nominal price.