New Jersey will play host to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as MetLife Stadium has been announced as its host.
FIFA confirmed that the stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey will host football’s most prestigious final on 19 July after it was heavily rumoured that the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas was the frontrunner to host the final.
Within close proximity to New York, MetLife Stadium holds a capacity of 82,500, but can be adjusted to accommodate over 87,000.
MetLife Stadium is one of eight host stadiums that plays on artificial turf due to being designed for NFL games. However, due to FIFA’s pitch requirements, those stadiums will be re-turfed in natural grass ahead of the 2026 tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will take place across the US, Canada and Mexico, with the latter’s famous Estadio Azteca – the host of two World Cup finals – will open the tournament in Mexico City on 11 June.
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California will host the first US men’s national team of the tournament on 12 June as well as its final group game, whilst playing its second game in Seattle at Lumen Field. Meanwhile, Canada will play its first game in Toronto at the BMO Field.
Other US host stadiums include the aforementioned AT&T Stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, the Gillette Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, which will host the third and fourth play-off game.
Out of a total 16, 11 US, three Mexico and two Canada cities will host World Cup games.
The two semi-final matches will be contested at the AT&T Stadium and Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, whilst quarter-final games will be played in Los Angeles, Boston, Miami and Kansas City.
As well as hosting the final, New Jersey will also host a Round of 32 and a Round of 16 fixture.
Other Round of 16 matches will be played in Mexico City, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Seattle.
The US, Mexico and Canada joint-bid to host the 2026 World Cup beat out its only viable competitor Morocco with 134 votes to the latter’s 65.
