MetLife Stadium
STADIUM HISTORY
MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 as the joint home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, replacing the demolished Giants Stadium next door. Capacity 82,500 — the second-largest in the NFL and the largest stadium hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 outside of Mexico City. The stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 (the first outdoor cold-weather Super Bowl), multiple Copa America Centenario matches in 2016, and Argentina vs Brazil during the 2024 Copa America. Selected to host the WC2026 Final — only the second time the United States has hosted a senior men's World Cup Final (the first was Rose Bowl 1994). Surface is FieldTurf Pure Series artificial turf, FIFA-approved for tournament play.
GETTING THERE & LOCAL CONDITIONS
Located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 20 minutes from Midtown Manhattan via NJ Transit's direct match-day shuttle service from Penn Station. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is 20 minutes by car; JFK is approximately 45 minutes. June-July weather is hot and humid — averages 27°C / 80°F at kickoff with thunderstorm risk in late-afternoon windows. The Meadowlands Sports Complex includes the American Dream Mall + Hard Rock entertainment for pre/post-match foot traffic.
Venue Betting Note
MetLife's FieldTurf surface plays faster than natural grass, with the ball running through the channels more readily. Historical WC matches on artificial surfaces have shown ~8% higher total-goals averages versus natural-grass venues in equivalent fixtures. Consider Over 2.5 angles slightly more favorably for matches here, particularly for knockout-round fixtures where two teams need to attack to settle results in 90 minutes.
Editorial analysis — live odds from our partner operators are on individual match pages.
