New York City residents will soon have a new way to get into the U.S. Open at a lower price. On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the United States Tennis Association announced a lottery for 1,000 discounted tickets to the 2026 U.S. Open, with each ticket priced at $100.
The tickets go on sale Wednesday, August 26, at 10 a.m. through USOpen.org/NYCTickets, and winners can buy up to two tickets each. The discounted seats are valid for Main Draw matches from August 30 through September 8.
The program gives city residents a chance to access one of New York's biggest sporting events at a price point below many standard and resale options. The source notes that secondary-market prices are already far above the discounted offer, with some tickets listed at $360 or more, while certain sessions can reach $300 and $400.
How the discounted ticket program fits in
Cheaper U.S. Open tickets do exist through an American Express pre-sale, but that option is limited to cardholders and typically opens in late May. The new lottery broadens access by setting aside a separate block of 1,000 reduced-price tickets specifically for New York City residents.
The Mamdani administration had already used a similar approach for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, when it rolled out 1,000 reduced-price tickets at $50 each and included free round-trip bus transportation for winners. Tuesday's announcement follows the same basic idea: reserve a limited number of lower-cost tickets and make them available through a public process.
For fans, the takeaway is straightforward. The U.S. Open remains an expensive ticket, but this program creates a small, clearly defined window for New York City residents to get in at a fixed price before the Main Draw begins.
