New York / New Jersey — FIFA World Cup 2026 City Guide

New York New Jersey Stadium — better known as MetLife — hosts eight matches including the Final on July 19. That makes this the single most-visited venue of the tournament. The stadium sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a 10-mile drive from midtown Manhattan. Plan early: hotel prices in Manhattan during the Final week will be the highest of any World Cup city.

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Getting to the Stadium

By train (recommended): NJ Transit runs direct rail service from Penn Station (Manhattan) to Meadowlands Station, right at the stadium gate. The ride takes around 30 minutes and costs roughly $8 each way. Trains run every 10–15 minutes on match days — buy your ticket on the NJ Transit app before you leave because queues at ticket machines get long. From Newark Penn Station, the journey is about 15 minutes on the same line.

From EWR (Newark Liberty International): Take the AirTrain to Newark Penn Station, then switch to NJ Transit toward the Meadowlands. Total travel time is under 30 minutes and costs around $15–18 all-in. This is the easiest airport-to-stadium route in any host city.

From JFK or LGA: Budget 75–90 minutes. JFK connects via the AirTrain to Jamaica, then the Long Island Rail Road or subway to Penn Station. From LGA, take the M60 bus to the subway. Both routes work, but EWR is far more convenient if you're choosing a base.

By car: The parking lots at MetLife hold thousands of vehicles but fill up fast. Expect to pay $40–60 for an official lot. Rideshare drop-off points are designated on the east side of the stadium — Uber and Lyft drivers know the drill. Traffic on the NJ Turnpike after a match can add 45 minutes; the train avoids all of that.

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Where to Stay

Manhattan is the obvious choice — Times Square, Midtown, and the Lower East Side put you close to Penn Station and within walking distance of most of what makes New York worth visiting. Expect to pay $250–450/night during the group stage and $400–700+ in the week leading up to the Final.

The smart money is in Newark or Jersey City. Both cities sit 15–20 minutes from MetLife by NJ Transit and offer hotels at $100–180/night for the same dates. Newark's Ironbound neighborhood (see below) is genuinely excellent for eating and drinking before a match. Jersey City's Journal Square and Downtown areas have solid mid-range hotel options with easy PATH train access to Manhattan for sightseeing.

Hoboken is another solid option — waterfront location, NJ Transit access, and far more relaxed pricing than Manhattan. The views of the Manhattan skyline from the waterfront are genuinely spectacular.

For a deeper breakdown of the alt-city savings strategy, see the Alt-City Savings Guide.

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Match Day Experience

MetLife Stadium holds 82,500 and is jointly used by the Giants and Jets — it's a purpose-built American football stadium with good sightlines and modern concourses. FIFA will overlay fan zones and international food options for the tournament, but the structure is already fan-friendly.

The FIFA Fan Zone for New York will be anchored at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, directly across from Lower Manhattan — expect big screens, food stalls, and the full tournament atmosphere for ticketless fans. Check the FIFA official site for confirmed locations closer to the tournament.

Arrive at the stadium at least 90 minutes early on match days. Security queues move steadily but the volume of fans — especially for knockout matches — means late arrivals risk missing kickoff. Bags must comply with FIFA's clear bag policy (see the Stadium Bag Policy Guide).

Concessions inside MetLife include standard American stadium fare (hot dogs, nachos, beer) plus some upgraded options that have appeared in recent seasons. Beer inside is $14–16 for a large cup.

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Between Matches: What to Do

Central Park and the Manhattan skyline: Walk the length of Central Park from 59th to 110th Street, then climb to the top of the One Vanderbilt observation deck (Summit One Vanderbilt) for the best elevated views of the city — far less crowded than the Empire State Building and more visually dramatic.

Brooklyn: Take the subway (F, A, or C train) to Brooklyn and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side. Spend an afternoon in DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights — the combination of the bridge, the Manhattan Bridge framing views, and the waterfront is quintessential New York.

The High Line and Chelsea Market: The High Line is an elevated park built on a disused rail line on the west side of Manhattan. Walk it from Gansevoort Street (Meatpacking District) north to the Hudson Yards. Chelsea Market underneath has excellent food stalls and is free to enter.

Citi Field/Yankee Stadium: If you want a baseball game between matches, both the Mets (Citi Field, Queens) and Yankees (Yankee Stadium, the Bronx) play home games in late June and July. A World Cup trip with a baseball game on a rest day is very New York.

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Local Food & Drink

The Ironbound District in Newark (along Ferry Street) is a dense strip of Portuguese and Brazilian restaurants that serve some of the best grilled meat and seafood in the entire metro area. Teixeira's, Fernandes Steakhouse, and Iberia Peninsula are all worth a visit. Given how many Brazilian, Portuguese, and Lusophone African fans will be attending, this neighborhood will be buzzing throughout the tournament.

Katz's Delicatessen (Lower East Side, Manhattan) — the pastrami sandwich is a genuine New York institution. Go for lunch to avoid the worst of the queues. Expect to pay around $25 for a sandwich, which is enormous.

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is New York's authentic Italian-American neighborhood — much less touristic than Little Italy in Manhattan. Randazzo's for seafood, Mike's Deli for sandwiches, and any of the family-run pizza joints along the avenue are all excellent.

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Practical Tips

Weather: June–July in New York is warm and humid — expect 26–30°C with high humidity. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms are common, especially in July. Bring a packable rain jacket; a poncho in your bag is never a waste of space for the Final week.

Cash vs card: New York is almost entirely card-friendly. You can go a full week without touching cash. The stadium accepts cards and mobile pay throughout.

Getting around the city: The subway is the correct answer for almost every journey within Manhattan and the outer boroughs. A 7-day unlimited MetroCard costs $34 and is worth it if you're staying in Manhattan for more than 3 days.

Safety: New York is genuinely safe for tourists in 2026. Stick to normal urban common sense — be aware of your surroundings in transit stations late at night, keep your phone in your pocket in crowded areas.

Language: English everywhere. Spanish is very widely spoken, particularly in Queens and the Bronx — useful for Latin American fans.

Tipping culture: In restaurants, 18–20% tip is standard. At bars, $1–2 per drink is the norm. This is not optional — it is how service workers are compensated in the US.