A Guide To MetLife Stadium The 2026 World Cup Final Venue

New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium was named the location for the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was awarded to joint hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Here’s a look at the facility and some of the events it has staged.

The 2026 World Cup will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, FIFA announced on June 13. It will be the first World Cup hosted by three nations and the first staged in North America since the 1994 edition in the United States.

While the specific locations and schedule of the 80 matches—60 in the U.S., 10 in Canada, 10 in Mexico—is still to be determined, the site for the final has been announced. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., has been granted that honor.

Opened April 10, 2010, MetLife Stadium earns the bragging rights as the only stadium to host two National Football League (NFL) teams: the New York Jets and New York Giants. The facility is also the largest in the NFL, boasting 82,500 seats.

Hosting large-scale events is nothing new for the area or stadium. MetLife Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos on February 2 2014. Other major sporting events held at the stadium include WrestleMania 29 (it will host WrestleMania 35 in 2019), 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals, International Champions Cup matches, and three matches (including the final) at the 2016 Copa América Centenario. MetLife Stadium has also played host to global musical stars, including Taylor Swift, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, U2, and Kenny Chesney.

Nearly 81,000 were at MetLife Stadium for WrestleMania 29 in 2013

The 2.1 million-square-foot facility has a neutral color scheme to allow the stadium to change into a home field no matter what team is playing there. It boasts 200+ suites on four separate levels, more than 10,000 club seats, and approximately 28,000 parking spaces. A New Jersey Transit rail station is located right near the stadium, allowing easy public transportation, especially from nearby New York City.

MetLife Stadium was ranked the highest-grossing stadium in the world for non-NFL events in 2010, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, and ’16 by Billboard Magazine.

The stadium, which cost $1.6 billion to construct, has a slew of technology, including four 30 x 118-foot HD video display boards in each end of the stadium, a 360-degree ribbon board circling the bowl, more than 2,100 HD monitors, and free Wi-Fi throughout.

About the author

Michael LoRé

Sports Editor

Michael has been obsessed with sports since he started playing recreationally when he was 5 years old. Realizing he couldn't make it as a professional athlete and was a decent enough writer, the lightbulb went off: sports journalist. After honing his craft at the University of Delaware, Michael has covered anything and everything from scholastic field hockey to the World Series. Born and raised in New Jersey, Michael now lives in New York City, having worked most recently for New York City FC and the NHL. His favorite sport is soccer.