MetLife Stadium set to make history as host venue for 2026 FIFA World Cup
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to MetLife Stadium. New York and New Jersey have been chosen as one of the host cities and revealed the new branding.
"Let’s kick off 2026!" said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
New York and New Jersey soccer fans gathered in Times Square Thursday morning, celebrating the coming summer of 2026 when the World Cup is hosted in North America.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford is one of 16 locations in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. that will host the tournament, the first to be hosted by three nations and the first to include 48 teams.
North America beating out Morocco in FIFA’s final vote — the theme revealed as "WE ARE 26" and "WE ARE NYNJ".
"This is futbol," said Michael Strahan, Fox Sports commentator. "Ok? That thing I did was guys running around in tights running to each other. I don't know what you call it. But this is futbol, everybody."
If you ask Strahan, Mayor Eric Adams and Murphy, New Yorkers are more than ready to embrace the biggest worldwide single-sport event ever, which claimed 1.5 billion viewers for the 2022 World Cup final.
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MetLife is hoping to secure 8 to 10 games and draw tens of thousands of tourists to hotels, restaurants, and theaters.
"All five boroughs are going to benefit from this exciting venture," said Fred Dixon, New York City Tourism president and CEO.
And don't forget New York and New Jersey have done this before. The U.S. last hosted the Men’s World Cup in 1994 at Giants Stadium, the same place as the opening match for the Women's FIFA World Cup in 1999.