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The 2026 World Cup final is coming to NJ's MetLife Stadium
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Feb 4, 2024
Modified Feb 4, 2024
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Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Feb 4, 2024
Modified Feb 4, 2024
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The world’s most famous soccer tournament is coming to New York and New Jersey in two years.
FIFA unveiled the full match schedule on Sunday, announcing that MetLife Stadium will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match on Sunday, July 19. The tournament is set to take place in 16 stadiums – where it will conclude at the venue in East Rutherford, N.J.
“You’ll see flags for just about every team waving out of cars, bars and apartments,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a promotional video on X, in which he and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy applauded the decisions. “The streets will be bustling with excitement.”
The 104-game tournament will feature 48 teams across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Other games during the tournament will take place at stadiums in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.
The mayor's office said the event was expected to support more than 14,000 jobs and pump more than $2 billion into the region's economy. More than 1 million visitors are expected, City Hall said.
“New York New Jersey is ready for North America to be the center of the soccer world, and the history we’ll be making in 2026 will create lifetime memories for fans, provide new opportunities for our communities, infuse billions into our economy, and help shape our region and propel it forward for decades to come," Adams said in a statement on Sunday evening.
The 39-day tournament will begin in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. will host the U.S. team’s opening game on June 12.
New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is capable of hosting 82,500 people – and it’s no stranger to a big show. It hosts the NFL’s New York Giants, New York Jets and the XFL’s New York Guardians – and it was also where the 2016 Copa America Centenario soccer tournament final took place. It’s also been the preferred spot for world-famous musicians, including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
“As an advocate for this region, and a lifelong soccer fan, I am thrilled that FIFA chose to place their trust in New York New Jersey to host the historic FIFA World Cup 26 Final,” Murphy said in a statement. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our entire region; hosting the Final provides NYNJ an unparalleled platform to brilliantly showcase what we stand for — diversity, equality, access, and inclusion.”
The New York-New Jersey region was announced as a host city for the 2026 tournament in June 2022.
This story has been updated with additional comment from Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Phil Murphy.
Tagged
new york city
new jersey
new york state
sports
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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