In an effort to host the 2026 World Cup, MetLife Stadium officials intend to remove 1,740 seats in order to expand the field. However, the field will remain narrower for this year’s Copa America.
In an effort to host the 2026 World Cup, MetLife Stadium officials intend to remove 1,740 seats in order to expand the field. However, the field will remain narrower for this year’s Copa America.
Along with AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the stadium located in the New Jersey suburb of East Rutherford is a contender for the July 19, 2026, World Cup final, which will feature 104 games and 48 nations.
In a phone interview last fall, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated, “I speak for New Jersey but also as our partner of New York City, do not underestimate how aggressive we’re prepared to be to get the best package of games possible.”
According to spokesman Lenny Santiago, FIFA has not established a deadline for revealing the locations of individual matches and is unable to disclose information about improvements at other venues. FIFA revealed the locations of individual games for the 1994 tournament in June 1992, choosing the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to host the championship match.
Heimo Schirgi, who took over as chief operational officer of the World Cup in July of last year, was not available for comment. FIFA is in charge of the 2026 competition itself; unlike the 1994 World Cup, there is no local organizing body.
“The few stadiums that require capital projects are handling each project differently — with some venues scheduling the work across multiple NFL offseasons, while others plan to complete everything at once sometime between now and spring 2026,” FIFA stated in a statement.
The World Cup bid book predicted a capacity of 74,895, and the biggest sports attendance at MetLife, which opened in 2010, was 83,367 for a Jets-Giants game in October. According to spokeswoman Helen Strus, the current dimensions for soccer matches are 70 by 115 yards (64 by 105 meters).
Field-level club areas will not be affected by the development, according to Strus, which will take place in the corner and along the sidelines. After the World Cup, the chairs in the corners will be replaced with parts that may be removed. Murphy claimed there was a dispute going on about who would pay for the construction.
A agreement that benefits FIFA
“MetLife is only really impacted in the corners by the FIFA setback restrictions. Murphy stated, “They have a much tougher nut at other stadiums where they have to set the entire perimeter back.” “A agreement that benefits FIFA is what they want. It’s evident that New Jersey and New York City, who are our partners, are willing to invest a significant amount of money in this game. Actually, we already have.”
FIFA mandates that World Cup games take place on a 75-by-115-yard (68-by-105-meter) field; nevertheless, several venues disregarded this restriction during the 1994 competition. Along with stadiums in Atlanta, Foxboro, Massachusetts, Houston, Inglewood, California, Philadelphia, and Seattle, MetLife and AT&T will also need to replace artificial turf with grass.
The smaller field at MetLife will host three games at this summer’s South American championship: group stage matchups between Uruguay and Bolivia and Argentina and Chile and Chile; the July 9 semifinal. Chile won the 2016 Copa América final on penalty kicks.
Murphy also anticipates a European Champions League final being held at MetLife Stadium by UEFA.
A representative for the Dallas Cowboys, who own AT&T Stadium, Joe Trahan, declined to comment on the stadium’s dimensions or potential modifications. He directed inquiries to the Dallas Sports Commission and FIFA, both of whom did not reply to emails for comment.
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FIFA named the 16 host cities for 2022 and awarded the 2026 tournament to the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2018.
The NFL’s 11 teams will be represented in the World Cup at these venues, which have playing fields measuring 53.3 by 120 yards (49 by 110 meters).
In 1994, seven games were played at Giants Stadium, which is next to the site of MetLife. Among those games were Bulgaria’s upset of defending champion Germany in the quarterfinals and Italy’s victory against Bulgaria in the semifinals. Government officials blocked regular traffic via the Lincoln Tunnel during the 1994 event to provide FIFA leaders quicker access from Manhattan.
“I think we’ll do the right thing by the VIPs who need to get transited,” Murphy stated. “We’ll do it in a way which doesn’t take it out of the hide of the regular customers, but we’ll also do it in a way — we’re committed that to FIFA, that we’ll move folks expeditiously and with the right level of care.”
