Dates - June 13 – July 19, 2026
Venue - New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), East Rutherford, NJ
Total Matches - 8 (five Group Stage, one Round of 32, one Round of 16, the Final)
Marquee Matches - Brazil vs. Morocco (June 13), France vs. Senegal (June 16), Ecuador vs. Germany (June 25), Panama vs. England (June 27), The Final (July 19)
Fan Events - Six official fan events across five NYC boroughs + NJ Fan Hub at Sports Illustrated Stadium
Best Neighborhood Bases - Midtown West/Penn Station area, Midtown East/NoMad, Jersey City/Hoboken
Tickets – Get Your Tickets for New York New Jersey Fifa World Cup 2026 matches and NJ Transit transport tickets
New York has held the United Nations, the 1939 World's Fair, and the most decorated roster of grand events in modern history. This summer, from June 13 through July 19, it holds the FIFA World Cup Final. Eight matches come to New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, making the New York–New Jersey metro the most consequential venue in the entire 104-match tournament. The Final on July 19 lands here.
The region has been here before. Giants Stadium, two miles from the current venue, hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final before a crowd of 94,194, still the largest attendance for a World Cup Final in history. Thirty-two years later, the tournament returns at a scale that would have been unimaginable then. This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, the first co-hosted by three nations, and by FIFA's own projections the most-watched sporting event ever staged. The New York–New Jersey region, home to populations from more than 130 countries speaking over 600 languages, is the natural center of it.
The planning logic is straightforward. The stadium sits in New Jersey; New York City is the base. Fans stay in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or just across the Hudson in Jersey City or Hoboken, cross the river by rail on match days, and return to the city for everything in between. Fan zones, restaurants, and the bars where the energy builds before kickoff are spread across five boroughs. What follows is how to plan the full trip.
All eight New York–area matches are played at New York New Jersey Stadium, the official FIFA tournament designation for MetLife Stadium at 1 MetLife Stadium Drive in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The stadium seats 82,000 for soccer and sits approximately eight miles west of Midtown Manhattan. Five group stage fixtures run from June 13 through June 27, followed by the Round of 32 on June 30, the Round of 16 on July 5, and the Final on July 19.
June 13, 6:00 PM ET - Brazil vs. Morocco
June 16, 3:00 PM ET - France vs. Senegal
June 22, 8:00 PM ET - Norway vs. Senegal
June 25, 4:00 PM ET - Ecuador vs. Germany
June 27, 5:00 PM ET - Panama vs. England
June 30, 5:00 PM ET - Round of 32
July 5, 4:00 PM ET - Round of 16
July 19, 3:00 PM ET - FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
For travelers building a multi-city itinerary around the tournament, the New York–New Jersey region connects easily to two other World Cup host cities by rail. Philadelphia is 95 minutes south by Amtrak, and Boston is four hours north. Amtrak's FIFA partnership page at amtrak.com/fifa covers Northeast Corridor schedules and any tournament-period offers.
The New York–New Jersey Host Committee, with $20 million in state funding, has built a network of free official fan events across all five New York City boroughs and a ticketed fan hub in New Jersey. Together they run from the tournament's first day on June 11 through the Final on July 19, 39 days of programming within reach of every neighborhood in the metro area. Most events require advance registration. None require a match ticket.
The official New Jersey fan experience is anchored at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ, the home ground of the New York Red Bulls.
The Fan Hub runs on select dates from June 13 through July 15, with live match broadcasts on a 60-foot video screen placed on the pitch, interactive fan activations, cultural programming, and the Sports Illustrated Stadium Concert Series throughout the tournament window.
Confirmed concert programming includes DJ Snake and Justice on June 16, and Kygo and Kaleo on June 22. The Hype House fan space inside the venue adds a second indoor viewing environment for larger matches.
Sports Illustrated Stadium is a short walk from the Harrison Station, The PATH train connects to Manhattan's 33rd Street, World Trade Center, and Journal Square in Jersey City.
The Finals Week gathering point runs July 6 through July 19, covering the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship. The Rink at Rockefeller Center transforms into a soccer pitch with large screens for live match broadcasts, and the celebration extends across the entire three-block campus including the Channel Gardens and Top of the Rock.
An immersive free exhibition titled Legacies of Champions, presented by Hyundai, traces nearly a century of FIFA World Cup history through the Channel Gardens. The Telemundo Fan Village is open-access, making it the most accessible major fan gathering in the city for the Final on July 19.
The flagship group stage fan experience runs June 11 through June 27 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, produced by Live Nation.
Louis Armstrong Stadium transforms into a full match-broadcast venue for every group stage fixture, with local food vendors, official merchandise and family programming.
Get your free general admission tickets here: select the matchup you want to see and make sure to “Unlock” your reservation using codes FWC26NYNJ or QUEENSHQ.
The 7 train to Mets–Willets Point runs approximately 30 minutes from Times Square.
The longest-running fan zone in the city operates from June 13 through July 19 on select dates at Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo, with the Manhattan skyline directly across the East River as its backdrop.
Match viewings, local music, and food programming reflecting Brooklyn's food and cultural identity run throughout the tournament window.
Take the A/C to High Street, the 2/3 to Clark Street, or the F to York Street. The NYC Ferry East River route stops at Fulton Ferry Landing and Pier 6 on the Brooklyn side, departing from Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan.
Four days of match viewings run June 29 through July 2 at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Community Park in Staten Island. The setting is waterfront and family-oriented, with evening match viewing events and community programming.
The crossing takes 25 minutes. Allow 45 to 50 minutes from Midtown Manhattan, including the subway ride to the ferry terminal.
Bronx Terminal Market is the official NYNJ World Cup 26 Bronx Fan Zone, hosting two days of programming on June 13 and 14 on the Rooftop at Level 6. Match broadcasts run on a giant screen alongside games, arts and crafts, an AI photo booth, a live DJ, and food and drink from the BTM restaurant family and Boogie Down Food Hall vendors.
Take the 4 or D train to 161st Street–Yankee Stadium, then walk south on River Avenue approximately 10 minutes to 151st Street. Alternatively, take the 2, 4, or 5 to 149th Street–Grand Concourse and walk north on Exterior Street. Allow 25 to 30 minutes from Midtown Manhattan.
Getting to the match is the logistics decision that shapes your entire day. There is no general spectator parking on stadium property, and access is limited to three official transportation options. All require advanced purchase and a valid FIFA World Cup 2026 match ticket. Plan this before you plan anything else.
Board NJ Transit at New York Penn Station and transfer at Secaucus Junction to a matchday-only train or bus running directly to the stadium for ticket holders only. Tickets are sold in advance at njtworldcup.com and require a valid FIFA match ticket to purchase.
The official shuttle runs direct round-trip service to the stadium from four locations: Midtown North, Midtown East, Port Authority Bus Terminal, and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine park-and-ride in New Jersey. Tickets are purchased in advance, are non-transferable, and require a valid match ticket. Accessible options are available.
Rideshare drop-off and pick-up operates at Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment adjacent to the stadium, with a direct walk to the gates. Build in extra time and expect surge pricing around every match. Vehicle access to the stadium is limited to FIFA-permitted vehicles only. Limited parking is available at American Dream with a pre-purchased pass.
Virgin Hotels New York City sits at 1227 Broadway at 30th Street, five minutes on foot from New York Penn Station and directly above the 28th Street subway entrance, the most walkable luxury base in the city for NJ Transit access on match days.
For the World Cup, Virgin Hotels is hosting public viewing parties for all eight NYNJ matches at Everdene, the hotel's third-floor bar and restaurant with Empire State Building views and handcrafted cocktails. The Pool Club on the rooftop runs cocktails, sharing plates, and live DJs through the summer.
Pendry Manhattan West at 438 West 33rd Street is a California-inspired Midtown hotel, blending elegance and ease with warm, contemporary interiors and highly personalized service. Guestrooms and suites feature spacious layouts with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Penn Station is a seven-minute walk east, and the 7 train at Hudson Yards is steps from the hotel's west lobby for additional transit options across the city. Five dining and drinking destinations anchor the hotel: Zou Zou's, Chez Zou, Bar Pendry, The Garden Room and the Vista Lounge.
The Peninsula New York on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street is offering a World Cup Championship Finals package in the city. A five-night stay, a private chauffeur meets you at the New York airport of your choice. The package includes exclusive gear and memorabilia, premium sports channel access for every match in the tournament, and access to the Rockefeller Center Fan Village for Finals Week. Call the hotel to reserve this package.
For anyone looking for regular accommodations, The Peninsula New York remains one of the finest addresses on Fifth Avenue, with 239 rooms and suites, The Peninsula Spa, the rooftop bar SALON DE NING with panoramic Midtown views, and Clement, the hotel's full-service restaurant.
Loews Regency New York sits on Park Avenue at 61st Street, the Upper East Side address that has defined New York power for over 60 years. The Regency Bar and Grill originated the New York power breakfast, and the tradition holds. The 379 guestrooms and 58 suites blend Art Deco bones with contemporary finishes. The Julien Farel Restore Salon and Spa spans 10,000 square feet, and the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar in the lobby is among the best morning stops on the Upper East Side.
For the World Cup, the Tailgate Rate Package includes two drink vouchers per room redeemable at The Regency Bar and Grill and a complimentary room upgrade based on availability.
The Chatwal at 130 West 44th Street is a five-star Art Deco landmark in the heart of the Theater District. The 76 rooms and 29 suites, including 14 themed suites with private terraces, offer personal butler service, 400-thread-count linens, and in-room private bars.
The Lambs Club, the hotel's signature restaurant with red leather banquettes and black wood paneling, serves modern American cuisine and anchors the ground floor. The MYND Spa and Salon and a 24-hour fitness center complete the amenity offering.
The Chatwal sits at the geographic midpoint between Penn Station and the Rockefeller Center Fan Village, placing guests within easy walking distance of both the NJ Transit concourse for match days and the Finals Week fan programming at Rockefeller Center.
Jersey City and Hoboken sit directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, connected to the city by PATH train in approximately 10 minutes to the World Trade Center or 33rd Street. Both are geographically closer to New York New Jersey Stadium than any Manhattan address, and nightly hotel rates run significantly lower than comparable Midtown properties.
The Jersey City and Hoboken waterfront offers unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline, and the restaurant scenes in both cities have developed substantially over the past decade. For travelers focused on stadium access and value, this is the most practical base in the metro.
The tournament window in New York runs from June 13 through July 19, five and a half weeks of summer in one of the great cities on earth. The days between matches are as worth planning as the matches themselves.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the observation experience atop the tallest commercial tower in Midtown, offers the most comprehensive view of Manhattan available anywhere in the city. The glass floor atilt and the mirrored immersive rooms are a step beyond the standard observation deck.
The Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway runs 1.1 miles over the East River between Manhattan and Dumbo, with views of the harbor, the skyline, and the lower Manhattan financial district. The Brooklyn Bridge Park fan zone is on the Brooklyn side, making this a natural combination on any match-adjacent day.
June and July bring some of the best weather of the year to New York Harbor, and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island guided tour from Battery Park is a great half-day experience in the city. Beginning at Bowling Green, a guide covers the full story of Lady Liberty on Liberty Island before continuing to Ellis Island and the National Museum of Immigration.
The four-hour option includes the Statue of Liberty Museum, where you can stand feet from the original torch, and free time to explore Ellis Island at your own pace. For tighter schedules, a two-hour express version covers Liberty Island only.
New York's museum tier is unmatched, and three of the world's great institutions sit within a short distance of any Midtown base. The American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West covers 45 exhibition halls from dinosaurs to deep space. The Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street holds Picasso, Warhol, and Pollock across six floors with one of the finest sculpture gardens in the city. The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street spans five millennia of human creativity across two million square feet. Any one of the three is a full half-day. All three together is a reason to extend your stay.
New York's Broadway season runs straight through the tournament window. The biggest titles are all running: Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre remains the gold standard of the modern era; The Book of Mormon at the Eugene O'Neill is the funniest show on Broadway by a considerable distance; Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre has been running since 1996 and shows no signs of slowing down; The Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre is the production that defined Broadway spectacle for a generation; and Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre is one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. Book in advance, premium seats for all five fill weeks out, and the weeks around the Final on July 19 will be among the busiest of the summer.
The neighborhoods below Canal Street pack more New York history, food, and street life into two hours than most cities manage in a full day. This guided walking tour starts at City Hall Park and moves through Chinatown, where dumplings on Mosco Street set the tone, into Little Italy for cannoli at the legendary Ferrara Bakery on Mulberry Street, and through the cobblestone streets and cast-iron architecture of SoHo. Along the way the guide covers the Brooklyn Bridge, the Woolworth Building, the Italian immigrant history of the neighborhood, and the stories that don't make it into guidebooks.
New York hosts eight matches at New York New Jersey Stadium between June 13 and July 19, 2026. They are June 13, 6:00 PM ET - Brazil vs. Morocco, June 16, 3:00 PM ET - France vs. Senegal, June 22, 8:00 PM ET - Norway vs. Senegal, June 25, 4:00 PM ET - Ecuador vs. Germany, June 27, 5:00 PM ET - Panama vs. England, June 30, 5:00 PM ET - Round of 32, July 5, 4:00 PM ET - Round of 16, July 19, 3:00 PM ET - FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
Midtown West near Penn Station is the top base for match-day logistics, with NJ Transit rail access to New York New Jersey Stadium approximately four minutes by foot. Times Square and Midtown East provide strong transit connections and easy access to the Midtown East shuttle hub. NoMad offers a more local New York experience with subway access to Penn Station in five minutes. Jersey City and Hoboken are the best options for travelers who want stadium proximity and lower hotel rates, with PATH train connections to Manhattan in approximately 10 minutes.
The recommended route is NJ Transit rail from New York Penn Station, transferring at Secaucus Junction to a matchday-only train or bus running directly to the stadium for ticket holders only. Tickets are sold in advance at njtworldcup.com and require a valid FIFA match ticket to purchase. The Official NYNJ Stadium Shuttle provides round-trip bus service from Midtown North, Midtown East, Port Authority Bus Terminal, and a New Jersey park-and-ride; tickets are available at fevo.com. There is no general spectator parking at the stadium on match days.
Yes. The New York–New Jersey region hosts six official fan events across all five New York City boroughs and New Jersey. The Sports Illustrated Stadium Jersey Fan Hub in Harrison, NJ runs on select dates from June 13 through July 15 with concerts, live match broadcasts, and interactive experiences. Five free borough fan zones include the Queens Group Stage HQ at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (June 11–27), Brooklyn Bridge Park Fan Zone (June 13–July 19), Rockefeller Center Fan Village (July 6–19), the Staten Island Fan Zone (June 29–July 2), and the Bronx Fan Zone (June 13–14).
Yes. All five New York City borough fan zones are available and do not require a FIFA match ticket. Fan zones offer live match broadcasts, local food, music, and programming throughout the tournament window, from June 11 through July 19.
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