The MetLife Stadium at East Rutherford, New Jersey, around 5 miles from New York City, will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, making it the venue where the champions of the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, will be crowned early Monday morning India time.
For this tournament the stadium, owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, is being referred to as the New York New Jersey Stadium.
Seven matches have already been held here, before La Albiceleste meets La Roja starting 3 pm EST on Sunday (21.00 Madrid and 16:00 Buenos Aires).
There will be a Coldplay's Chris Martin-curated half-time show and Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, Gustavo Dudamel will take the stage. US President Donald Trump will hand over the FIFA World Cup trophy to the winning team, along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
One of the things that certainly sets the New York New Jersey Stadium apart is that it is probably the least-liked stadium of this football season and gets no breathless reviews, like the way the shiny, fancier and newer Atlanta and LA stadia have been receiving.
Here are the key deets about the NYNJ stadium:
1. Capacity
A giant among North American sporting arenas, the enormous stadium, an American landmark in its own right, can welcome more than 80,000 fans for the upcoming Argentina vs Spain final.
That was why it was chosen as the spot for the Cup's last match because obviously FIFA gets to sell more tickets, even if the stadium is lacklustre compared to the sorta temperature-controlled smaller one out in LA or the newfangled-looking Mercedes Benz location in Atlanta with a retractable roof and the handsome Dallas arena.
2. Cost
Completed in 2010, the bill for its construction was $1.6 billion, the most expensive sporting venue in the US, in those years, when it was ready to open.
3. Surface
The grass surface has not been popular with players, be they footballers of the World Cup or the Jets and Giants for whom MetLife is a home stadium. Reports of it being too hard, too rigid abound.
4. Design
Clad in a stone-like material, it has an outer whorl of aluminium louvres. The lighting changes colour depending on what team is using the stadium. It has received criticism for not having a roof.
Front row seats are just 14 m from the sidelines.
5. Who has played here before
Argentina's Lionel Messi, a candidate for the Golden Boot again, has played at MetLife three times before -- 2012, 2016, 2024.
Spanish captain Rodri Hernandez will be playing for the first time at this stadium.
6. Food
The best thing to eat at New York New Jersey Stadium this season is its Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, said to be crunchy with coleslaw in it.
Highly popular also are the Colombian Hot Dog or Ripper Dog containing roasted pineapple salsa, Citrus Crema Chicken Tacos, lobster rolls, spicy pretzels, beef hot dogs and the loaded nachos. The ice beers are also flying off snack stand/bar shelves or rather fridges.
7. What fans can or cannot take into the stadium
They must carry clear, see-through bags. Only 100 ml of sanitiser is allowed.
What is not allowed, apart from the usual hazardous stuff: Stairs, large cardboard boxes, paper rolls or quantities of paper, balloons, helmets, bullet-proof vests, frisbees, large quantities of powdery stuff or flour.
