The World Cup final is held New Jersey? Like in the industrial hellscape at the beginning of The Sopranos? And the Jersey Shore? The kind of place where boys eat sloppy steaks? Well, technically yes. But this is really a New York City finale: MetLife Stadium is just seven miles from Manhattan and very close to the New York-New Jersey border. That the biggest competition in the world will take place in (OK, very close) the largest city in the United States makes sense (Disclaimer: New Jersey also has friendly people, beautiful scenery, charming small towns and a beautiful coastline).
And because it’s the World Cup final and it’s in the richest country in the world, MetLife is undoubtedly a breathtaking location. Well, the stench that sometimes comes from the nearby Meadowlands swamps is breathtaking. But other than that, the stadium itself is… fine? There’s nothing offensive about the MetLife – it’s not falling down or anything and it can hold plenty of people – about 82,000 or so. But it doesn’t have the history of the Azteca, the venue for the tournament’s opening match, or the space-age feel of Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, which will host two of the United States’ group stage matches.
Does it have experience organizing large events? Yes, this is it New York City Finally, New Jersey. The MetLife hosted the Super Bowl in February 2014 and everyone from Beyonce to Taylor Swift to local boy Bruce Springsteen has performed concerts there. MetLife’s regular tenants are the New York Giants and the New York Jets of the NFL, but since they’re both terrible these days, calling their games “major events” is a stretch.
Is there much to do around the stadium? New York City has everything. But East Rutherford, New Jersey? Not so much. There are sufficient parking spaces around the stadium. And part of the aforementioned swamp area. Also the American Dream mall, the second largest in the United States, if you want to buy socks at Foot Locker or looking forward to a fast descent on the slopes.
One of the lasting images of the 1994 World Cup was Ireland manager Jack Charlton looking incredibly hot and sweaty on the sidelines of Giants Stadium, MetLife’s predecessor. Can we expect similar scenes for 2026? The MetLife is located a bit inland, so you won’t really get a cooling ocean breeze, but at the same time it’s not on the stinking sweat island that is Manhattan in the summer. The area can get very humid, but July also has some pleasant days. And many of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup will be much hotter in July (although many of them have roofs to keep players and fans cool). So we could get Charlton-esque scenes, but assuming global warming doesn’t escalate too quickly in the coming years and the match takes place in the evening, it could be fine.
Will players have to slide on artificial grass? NFL players have long complained that the artificial turf at MetLife is responsible for a worrying number of injuries, with a visiting Miami Dolphins player describing the surface as “garbage.” That won’t be a problem at the World Cup: the stadium will use a lawn for the 2026 tournament. Also for the World Cup, just under 2,000 seats will be removed to make the field wider.
Can I get there by public transport? There is always a trade-off at World Cups. In Qatar 2022, fans got great trains, but no drinks. In 2026 there will be a lot of booze, but there will also be the so-called New York/New Jersey public transit system. If you’re picturing yourself leaving a fancy restaurant in Manhattan before taking the short drive to the stadium, forget it. The easiest way to get there from the city is to head to Penn Station and hop on a train to Secaucus Junction, one of the least glamorous transportation hubs in the Northern Hemisphere. From there, transfer to another train to MetLife. Buses also run from the stadium to the dubious charms of the Port Authority Bus Terminal (pro tip: Thu not making eye contact with someone you don’t know). That said, at least you can get to the MetLife by public transportation, which is not the case for many major stadiums in the US.
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Can I drive there? Of course you can, this is America. And so are the parking garages terribly big.
I heard that stadiums in Texas and California were also in the running for the finals. What happened? The Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, a monument to Texas excess that seats 100,000 people, was tipped by many to host the final, but there is no public transportation to the stadium, so fans without cars have to rely on taxis. However, the stadium will host nine other World Cup matches, more than any other venue. SoFi Stadium was also a frontrunner, but its owner, Stan Kroenke, fell out with FIFA over revenue sharing. The consolation prize will be hosting these two US group games and it will also be a venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.