The 2026 World Cup closing will likely be performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19, FIFA introduced on Sunday.
Seth Wenig/AP
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Seth Wenig/AP
The 2026 World Cup closing will likely be performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19, FIFA introduced on Sunday.
Seth Wenig/AP
The 2026 World Cup closing will happen at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium to cap a event set in cities throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, soccer’s worldwide governing physique FIFA introduced Sunday.
The ultimate will likely be performed on July 19 on the East Rutherford, N.J., stadium. Mexico Metropolis will host the opener of the 104-game event at Estadio Azteca on June 11.
Throughout the occasion, although, the 82,500-capacity stadium will likely be formally known as the ”New York New Jersey Stadium” to adjust to the FIFA’s coverage in opposition to non-sponsor company names.
It is a World Cup of firsts. For the primary time, the event will increase to incorporate 48 groups, up from the 32 team-format held for the previous seven tournaments. It would even be the primary time the event is staged throughout three host nations. Past the New York-New Jersey complicated, 15 different main cities have been picked to host the World Cup matches.
MetLife Stadium, residence to the New York Jets and Giants, hosted the Tremendous Bowl in 2014 and the Copa América Centenario closing in 2016.
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy celebrated the announcement on social media.
”As a lifelong soccer fan, I’m thrilled to announce that the FIFA World Cup 2026 Closing will likely be hosted by New Jersey and New York Metropolis!” Gov. Murphy stated in a tweet.
When native officers first made their pitch to play host for the World Cup closing, they emphasised the stadium’s proximity to New York Metropolis as a media hub with central entry to resorts, eating places, leisure and worldwide flights.
As for the U.S. Males’s Nationwide Workforce, they are going to have the fortune of sticking to the identical time zone to begin their World Cup journey. The staff’s first match is at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on June 12. After that, they will head to Seattle for his or her second match, earlier than returning to LA for the ultimate group play spherical on June 26.
”It is nice to lastly be taught the place we will likely be for the group stage. It actually begins to deliver issues to life,” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter stated throughout a press convention. ”We might have been proud of any of the venues as a result of we all know the house help goes to be unimaginable.”
Whether or not or not his staff makes it to the ultimate recreation, Berhalter — a New Jersey native — says of the venue decide: ”It is a dream come true for me.”