MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey is the New York / New Jersey host venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 82,500-seat stadium - home to the New York Giants and New York Jets - hosts eight World Cup matches between June 13 and July 19, 2026, including five group-stage headliners (Brazil, France, England, Germany, Norway) and three knockout rounds culminating in the FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday, July 19 (3:00 PM ET).
The Final - July 19, 2026
The headline event. The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium will be the largest single sporting event ever staged in the New York metropolitan area - bigger than any Super Bowl ever held at the venue, bigger than the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII (also at MetLife), bigger than any single MSG event. Global TV audience expectations exceed 1.5 billion.
Ticket pricing is set by FIFA via a phased release. Category 1 face value sits in the $1,500–$6,000 range; resale via FIFA-authorized partners is expected to peak at $20,000+ in the final 30 days. Hospitality packages start above $10,000.
All MetLife Stadium World Cup Matches
Per the FIFA-released master schedule, MetLife hosts these eight matches:
Group Stage
- 6:00 PM ETGroup C · Matchday 1 Brazil vs Morocco
MetLife opens its World Cup with the most-watched group-stage matchup of the tournament.
- 3:00 PM ETGroup I · Matchday 1 France vs Senegal
Mbappé's opening fixture; the 2002 quarterfinal upset is the obvious narrative hook.
- 8:00 PM ETGroup I · Matchday 2 Norway vs Senegal
Haaland on the MetLife pitch in primetime.
- 4:00 PM ETGroup E · Matchday 3 Ecuador vs Germany
- 5:00 PM ETGroup L · Matchday 3 Panama vs England
Final group-stage fixture at MetLife before the knockout rounds.
Round of 32
- 5:00 PM ETRound of 32 Winner Group I vs 3rd-place CDFGH
New round added for the 48-team format. The Group I winner - likely France or Norway based on Group I matchups at MetLife - drops into this fixture.
Round of 16
- 4:00 PM ETRound of 16 TBD vs TBD
Bracket position determined by the group-stage draw and Round of 32 results.
Final
- 3:00 PM ETFIFA World Cup Final TBD vs TBD
The biggest single sporting event ever staged in the New York metropolitan area.
Group-stage matchups confirmed per FIFA's master schedule. Knockout-round teams assigned by group-stage results. Kickoff times in Eastern Time (ET).
Getting to MetLife from New York City
NJ Transit Train (recommended)
The Meadowlands Rail Line runs direct from Penn Station NY to Meadowlands Sports Complex Station, adjacent to the stadium. Travel time: 20 minutes. Service runs continuously on match days. Round-trip fare ~$11.
Bus from Port Authority
NJ Transit bus 351 runs from Port Authority Bus Terminal directly to MetLife on event days. Travel time: 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. Round-trip fare ~$10.
Driving
MetLife is served by Routes 3, 17, and the New Jersey Turnpike. From Manhattan via Lincoln Tunnel: 20–60 minutes depending on traffic. Match-day parking is $40+ and sells out 2–3 days in advance for major events.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft drop off at designated zones. Surge pricing on World Cup match days is expected to exceed 5x base. NJ Transit train is faster and dramatically cheaper for matches starting after 6 PM.
Betting on Matches at MetLife
MetLife Stadium sits in New Jersey, which legalized mobile sports betting in 2018 (three years before NY). This creates an interesting tactical wrinkle for serious bettors:
If you're inside MetLife Stadium
Mobile betting is permitted via NJ-licensed operators only. Your NY-licensed account will not let you place a wager from inside the stadium, the geolocation system blocks it. To bet during the match from your seat, register with a NJ-licensed operator. FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars all hold both NY and NJ licenses with separate accounts in each state.
For a complete guide to NJ operators, see our sister site bettinginnj.com.
If you're crossing the river before the match
You can place pre-match wagers via your NY account from anywhere in New York up until the moment your phone's GPS reports you're in NJ. Once inside MetLife, NY operators block placement until your phone re-acquires NY location.
If you're watching from NY
Standard rules apply. Every NY-licensed mobile sportsbook prices every World Cup match pre-game and in-play. Live betting is the sharpest angle since the Final's in-running odds will move significantly with each shot, card, and substitution.
MetLife World Cup History
The 2026 World Cup is MetLife's first hosting role for the tournament. The stadium has previously hosted:
- Super Bowl XLVIII (Feb 2014) - Seattle 43, Denver 8. Coldest Super Bowl on record.
- Copa América Final 2016 - Chile beat Argentina on penalties.
- 2024 Copa América Final - Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 (extra time).
- WrestleMania, concerts (Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS), and dozens of high-profile soccer friendlies.
The 2024 Copa América Final at MetLife is the closest precedent for a World Cup Final crowd - and the chaotic security scenes outside the stadium that night will inform 2026's much larger operation.