WM26-Check: East Rutherford, NJ.

WC26 check: East Rutherford, NJ.

Across our North-American city guide we cover all 16 venues of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This one: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ — 82,500 seats, 8 WC26 matches. City, nightlife, food and football, in 3 minutes.

City

New York / New Jersey isn't one city, it's a region — 20 million people between Manhattan towers, Brooklyn brick, and New Jersey forests. MetLife sits in East Rutherford, 20 minutes from Midtown. You can see the skyline from the stadium.

Nightlife

Brooklyn is what Manhattan used to be: Williamsburg, Bushwick, Greenpoint. In Manhattan proper: Lower East Side for bars, Hell's Kitchen post-match, the West Side for late dinners. Subway runs 24/7 — an underrated US advantage.

Food

Bagels with lox at Russ & Daughters. Pizza by the slice at Joe's in Greenwich Village. Late burgers at the Corner Bistro. Korean BBQ in K-Town. Halal Cart on 53rd/6th — the queue is real, the lamb-over-rice is real. Tip 20 % or get the side-eye.

Football

MetLife is home to the NY Giants & Jets (NFL). On July 19, 2026 it hosts the World Cup Final — no stadium in the US has ever hosted a bigger football match. Eight WC26 fixtures before that, very likely a semi-final too.