NEW YORK (VINnews) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pressing to make all New York City buses free during the five weeks of the FIFA World Cup, hoping to showcase one of his key campaign promises, according to a report by The New York Times on Wednesday.

The pilot program would run from mid-June to mid-July, coinciding with an expected influx of more than 1.2 million visitors to the New York and New Jersey area. Mamdani says the temporary measure could help build support for a permanent free-bus system.

State officials and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees bus fares, have expressed hesitation. The MTA relies on fare revenue to cover much of its $21 billion annual budget and is focused on reducing fare evasion, the report said.

Mamdani’s “fast and free buses” promise was popular with voters and is central to his affordability agenda. He pointed to a 2023 pilot program offering a free bus route in each borough, which increased ridership and reduced assaults on bus drivers but did not improve service speed.

Supporters say fare evasion, which affected nearly half of weekday bus riders last quarter, shows the $3 fare is a burden. Critics caution the money could be better spent improving existing transit or expanding subway service.

The World Cup matches will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., but New York City expects to benefit from tourism and related events. Mamdani last month appointed former campaign manager Maya Handa as the city’s World Cup czar.