The Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) has disclosed that the 2026 World Cup final is scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
The global football governing body made the announcement on Sunday, revealing that the grand finale of the 2026 World Cup will unfold at MetLife Stadium, located in New Jersey, as part of the tournament’s widespread presence in cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
To kick off the 104-game tournament, Mexico City will host the opener at Estadio Azteca on June 11. Throughout the event, the 82,500-capacity stadium will officially be named the ‘New York New Jersey Stadium’ to adhere to FIFA’s policy against non-sponsor corporate names.
Marking several firsts, the 2026 World Cup will expand to feature 48 teams for the first time, departing from the 32-team format used in the past seven tournaments. Additionally, this edition will be the inaugural instance of the tournament being co-hosted by three nations. Besides the New York-New Jersey complex, 15 other major cities have been selected to host matches.
MetLife Stadium, renowned as the home ground for the New York Jets and Giants, previously hosted the Super Bowl in 2014 and the Copa América Centenario final in 2016. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed their joy on social media following the announcement.
Governor Murphy tweeted, “As a lifelong soccer fan, I am thrilled to announce that the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final will be hosted by New Jersey and New York City!”
When local officials pitched to host the World Cup final, they emphasized the stadium’s proximity to New York City, serving as a media hub with easy access to hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and international flights.
The U.S. Men’s National Team will benefit from the convenience of playing in the same time zone for the World Cup’s initial stages. Their first match will be at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on June 12, followed by a match in Seattle and a return to Los Angeles for the final group play round on June 26.
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter expressed his excitement during a press conference, stating, “It’s great to finally learn where we will be for the group stage. It really starts to bring things to life. We would have been happy with any of the venues because we know the home support is going to be incredible.”
Regardless of whether his team reaches the final, Berhalter, a New Jersey native, remarked, “It’s a dream come true for me.”