The world is coming. The Garden State is ready.
MetLife Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
New Jersey hosts the world — from the opening group stage clash between Brazil and Morocco all the way to the championship on July 19. No other World Cup venue carries this weight.
Official FIFA Fan Experiences
You don't need a ticket to feel the World Cup. New Jersey and the surrounding region have built a web of free fan experiences that bring the tournament to every neighborhood.
The flagship NJ fan destination. Set against the Manhattan skyline with views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Match screenings, concerts, celebrity appearances, interactive football, family activities — all free and accessible by NJ Transit.
Louis Armstrong Stadium hosts group-stage watch parties, entertainment, cultural programming, local food vendors, and official merchandise. Located in one of the most multicultural counties in America.
Telemundo Fan Village transforms Rockefeller Plaza into a free fan hub with live match viewings, an interactive pitch, musical performances, and appearances by football legends — coinciding with Sail4th 250.
A new $35M busway and Meadowlands Rail shuttle connect fans from NYC Penn Station and Secaucus Junction. American Dream Mall — with indoor ski slope and water park — sits steps away for between-match entertainment.
Beyond the Beautiful Game
New Jersey has 130 miles of coastline, a revolutionary history, world-class culture, and food that rivals anywhere on earth. Here's what's waiting for the world.
130 miles of Atlantic coastline from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Boardwalks, seafood shacks, Victorian architecture, and some of the best sunsets in the Northeast. Asbury Park buzzes with live music. Cape May is a National Historic Landmark.
1–2 Hours from MetLifeNJ hosted more Revolutionary War battles than any other state. Washington Crossing, Morristown National Historical Park, Monmouth Battlefield, and the Indian King Tavern — all fully restored for the nation's 250th anniversary.
250th Anniversary 2026America's original resort city. World-class casinos, the legendary Boardwalk, celebrity chefs, and a nightlife scene that never sleeps. International fans from Europe and Latin America will feel right at home.
1.5 Hours SouthSteps from downtown Jersey City — unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Manhattan skyline. Home of the FIFA Fan Festival. Accessible by NJ Transit from MetLife in under 40 minutes.
Fan Festival HQRight next to MetLife Stadium: North America's second-largest shopping mall with an indoor ski slope, DreamWorks water park, Messi Experience immersive exhibit, Nickelodeon Universe theme park, and tax-free shopping.
Adjacent to StadiumHoboken — birthplace of Frank Sinatra — offers a walkable waterfront dining scene with Manhattan skyline views. Newark is home to NJPAC, the Newark Museum of Art, and the NJ Hall of Fame where visitors can sing next to Whitney Houston holograms.
20 Min from MetLife1.1 million acres of protected forest — the largest open space on the Eastern Seaboard south of Maine. Kayaking, cranberry bogs, ghost towns, and stargazing unlike anything in urban America. A true hidden gem.
Hidden GemNJ is a culinary melting pot: Portuguese seafood in Newark's Ironbound District, authentic Brazilian churrascarias in Somerville, Senegalese restaurants in the Bronx/Newark corridor, Jersey-style pizza, Taylor Ham, and the world's best diners.
StatewideOne of the world's largest theme parks, located in Jackson, NJ. Home to Kingda Ka — once the world's tallest roller coaster — plus a safari park and a water park. Perfect for families between match days.
1 Hour SouthIn the summer of 2026, New Jersey sits at the intersection of the world's greatest sporting event and America's greatest historical milestone. Fans coming for the World Cup will find themselves in the middle of something even bigger.
This is the communications and welcome strategy opportunity of a lifetime — and New Jersey is uniquely positioned to own it.
See the Welcome StrategyThe most-watched sporting event on earth concludes in New Jersey. Fans from Brazil, Morocco, France, Senegal, England, Germany and beyond will all have passed through our state.
The largest international flotilla of tall ships ever assembled sails into the Port of New York and New Jersey — right as the World Cup enters knockout rounds. The eyes of the entire world will be on NJ waters.
NJ's official 250th celebration — with restored historic sites, community events, and a "Road Ahead" roadmap — gives World Cup visitors a deeper reason to explore beyond the stadium.
Prepared by AI Media Transformation for Lt. Gov. Dr. Dale G. Caldwell
Millions of international visitors are coming. Here is how New Jersey's state leadership can shape the narrative, drive engagement, and ensure every guest leaves with the Garden State in their heart.
A coordinated, multilingual communications effort welcoming fans from every nation represented at MetLife — in Portuguese, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, and English.
Engage NJ's diverse communities — especially diaspora populations matching the teams playing — to serve as cultural ambassadors and unofficial hosts.
Connect the World Cup moment to NJ's 250th anniversary story — giving international visitors a reason to explore the state's history, shore, and culture beyond the stadium.
New Jersey has the history, the culture, the coast, and the community to make every visitor feel like they've found a second home. This is our moment.