World Cup 2026 in New York: MetLife Stadium Matches and the Final

New York/New Jersey holds the tournament’s crown jewel: the 2026 World Cup final, Sunday 19 July, at MetLife Stadium. Seven more matches precede it, including Brazil vs Morocco on the opening weekend, France vs Senegal, Ecuador vs Germany, and Panama vs England. One geographic clarification first: every match is played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, approximately 10 miles west of Manhattan — and the train, not a car, is how you get there.

This guide covers the matches, Meadowlands transport, the (unusual) fan event setup, and where to stay. For the city itself, see our New York City guide and things to do in NYC.

New York/New Jersey’s World Cup 2026 match schedule

Date	Match	Stage
13 June	Brazil vs Morocco	Group stage
16 June	France vs Senegal	Group stage
22 June	Norway vs Senegal	Group stage
25 June	Ecuador vs Germany	Group stage
27 June	Panama vs England	Group stage
30 June	Round of 32	Knockout
5 July	Round of 16	Knockout
19 July	THE FINAL	Knockout

Brazil vs Morocco — a 2022 World Cup grudge fixture — opens the slate, and Senegal plays twice, which will mobilise New York’s large West African community. Confirm kickoff times on FIFA.com.

The stadium: MetLife Stadium (“New York New Jersey Stadium”)

FIFA’s “New York New Jersey Stadium” is MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands — the largest US venue of the tournament at approximately 82,500, shared home of the Giants and Jets. It is fully open-air; New York in mid-July runs approximately 28–33°C and humid, so the 19 July final will be a warm one.

Getting there — take the train:

1. NJ Transit from New York Penn Station to Secaucus Junction (approximately 10 minutes)
2. Transfer to the Meadowlands Rail Line, direct to the stadium (approximately 10 minutes more)

Total journey approximately 30–40 minutes, around $11 round trip. Trains run high frequency on event days but expect crushes — for the final, NJ Transit will move the better part of 80,000 people. The alternative is the Coach USA 351 bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal. Driving means pre-sold parking and the worst post-match traffic in American sport; on final day, simply don’t.

Arrive 3 hours early for the final — security and rail volume both demand it.

Fan events: Rockefeller Center and Queens

NY/NJ is the one host city without a single central FIFA Fan Festival — the planned Liberty State Park site was cancelled. Instead:

• Rockefeller Center (Midtown Manhattan) hosts official FIFA fan programming and screenings
• USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (Flushing Meadows, Queens — the US Open grounds) hosts large-scale official watch events
• Every borough piles in unofficially: bars in Little Brazil (W 46th St), Koreatown, Astoria, and Paulus Hook in Jersey City will screen everything

Check the NYNJ host committee site (nynjfwc26.com) for the current events calendar — programming is being added through the tournament.

Where to stay

Manhattan prices during the final week will be extraordinary — but you have options:

• Midtown West / Penn Station area — maximum convenience for NJ Transit; mid-range rooms typically approximately $250–400 in summer, far higher around 19 July
• Jersey City / Hoboken — the smart play: 15 minutes to Manhattan by PATH, NJ Transit access to Secaucus, and meaningfully cheaper
• Long Island City / Williamsburg — Brooklyn/Queens value with fast Midtown connections

Book the final week as far ahead as you possibly can. Our New York hotels guide breaks down every neighbourhood with price ranges.

Beyond the matches

It is New York — the rest-day problem solves itself. Between fixtures: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (ferry approximately $25), the High Line and Hudson Yards, the Met (approximately $30), and a Yankees or Mets game for an American-sport palate cleanser. Our NYC food guide covers the essentials; during the tournament, expect every national cuisine in the city to have a watch party attached.

Practical tips

• Clear-bag policy at MetLife; no large bags, arrive very early for knockout matches
• Buy NJ Transit tickets in the app (round trip, “Meadowlands Sports Complex”) before you travel — Penn Station ticket lines on match days are brutal
• Heat: open-air stadium, approximately 28–33°C — hydrate, especially for afternoon kickoffs
• Airports: JFK, Newark (EWR), and LaGuardia all work; Newark is actually best-placed for the stadium side of the river

Details correct as of June 2026 — confirm match times at FIFA.com and fan event schedules at nynjfwc26.com before travelling.