Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
When the 2026 World Cup rolls around, MetLife Stadium figures to be one of the most important venues. It has the third-largest capacity of the 16 venues and is the largest stadium of the four host venues in the northeastern U.S. While MetLife Stadium has hosted more than a dozen soccer matches in the past, it has never been part of a World Cup. However, its predecessor, Giants Stadium, which was also located within the Meadowlands Sports Complex, has played a major role in two previous World Cups. MetLife Stadium will now have a chance to follow in the footsteps of Giants Stadium and put its stamp on the soccer world.
When the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup, which became a monumental step forward for soccer in the country, Giants Stadium was one of the cornerstone venues. It was the fourth-largest stadium of the nine that were used and the largest on the East Coast. Giants Stadium was the site of seven matches, four in the Group Stage and three Knockout Stage games. All seven games had over 70,000 fans in attendance with the final game played at Giants Stadium being the memorable semifinal between Bulgaria and Italy.
Five years after the 1994 World Cup, Giants Stadium was the site of one of the most iconic moments of the 1999 Women's World Cup. Giants Stadium was the venue for the first game played by the U.S. team. At that point, there was uncertainty regarding the attendance numbers for the tournament. However, a near-capacity crowd of 78,972 people showed up to watch the American beat Denmark 3-0. The crowd was so large and unexpected that the American team nearly arrived late to the stadium because its bus was stuck in traffic.
As the first game of the tournament, the crowd at Giants Stadium helped to set the stage for the rest of the tournament, which continued to have high attendance, including another game between Brazil and Mexico that drew 78,972 fans. Even though Giants Stadium didn't host a game beyond the Group Stage, it still played a key role in the 1999 World Cup, which was a seminal event in the history of women's soccer.
Needless to say, MetLife Stadium had big shoes to fill when it became the replacement for Giants Stadium. It wasn't just serving as the home stadium for the NFL's Jets and Giants but also as a soccer venue. Of course, the 2026 World Cup won't be MetLife Stadium's first rodeo when it comes to soccer matches.
In May 2010, less than a month after it opened its doors for the first time, MetLife Stadium hosted its first soccer match. It was a friendly match between Mexico and Ecuador that drew more than 77,500 fans. A few months later, a match between Brazil and the U.S. also drew more than 77,000 fans. The most important soccer match MetLife Stadium has hosted to date was the final of the 2016 Copa America Centenario. The game was played between Chile and Argentina and drew a crowd of over 82,000 fans. To date, 19 international and club matches have been played at MetLife Stadium with five of those matches drawing more than 80,000 fans, which means MetLife Stadium should be well prepared to host games during the 2026 World Cup.
While known mostly as a football venue, MetLife Stadium was designed with soccer in mind. The stadium has retractable seating in the corners of the stadium that allow the playing surface to be expanded to fit a regulation soccer field. The stadium will also have grass installed over the field turf prior to the 2026 World Cup to match FIFA regulations.
Equally important, MetLife Stadium is one of the elite stadiums when it comes to the fan experience. There are wide-ranging concession options, including several bars and lounges. In recent years, the stadium has added a sports betting lounge for fans to use after New Jersey sports betting became legal. There are also several transportation options for fans traveling to the stadium, not to mention several other attractions like the American Dream Mall close to the stadium, giving fans something to do before and after games.
Not only will MetLife be a key venue during the 2026 World Cup but it's also in contention to host the final match. The selection for the final match is reportedly down to MetLife Stadium and AT&T Stadium in Texas. Both venues have a strong argument for hosting what will be the most important soccer match ever played inside the U.S. There is no timeline for a decision, but it's surely a big deal for MetLife Stadium to be considered. Given the importance of both Giants Stadium and MetLife Stadium for soccer matches, it would be fitting to see the final of the 2026 World Cup played at MetLife Stadium, almost bringing soccer in the U.S. full circle from the 1994 World Cup.
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