Johnathan Walker:2026 FIFA World Cup final to be played at MetLife Stadium

2026 World Cup Final to be held at MetLife Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

FIFA announced the tournament schedule on Sunday. It was a fight between MetLife and AT&T Stadium in Dallas for the final. FIFA gave Dallas the most matches with nine. MetLife will host eight, including the biggest prize of them all.

The opener of the 39-day tournament will be played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.

The U.S. Men's National Team will play its first match at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on June 12, and then travel to Lumen Field in Seattle, before returning to SoFi for the last leg of the group stage. MetLife does have a Round of 32 and Round of 16 match so maybe the U.S. can play itself into one of those. We won't know if that's possible until the group draws are made in spring of 2026.

The third-place game will be at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Last May, FIFA unveiled the official logo for the 2026 World Cup in Times Square.

CBS New York stopped in at a watch party at MetLife and also took in the celebrations at Mulligan's Bar in Hoboken, which is lined with soccer memorabilia from around the globe.

"This is the soccer mecca. This is the soccer hub. This is where everyone comes to watch soccer," fan David Moncada said. "I've been playing soccer, watching soccer since I was 4 years old. I can't believe this is finally happening."

Moncada has travelled the world for the World Cup.

"Japan, Korea, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, and now it's in our backyard," he said.

"It's going mean more people, more fun. We hope for another great World Cup," soccer fan Mike Breen said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined in on the excitement.

"As an advocate for this region, and a lifelong soccer fan, I am thrilled that FIFA chose to place their trust in New York/New Jersey to host the historic FIFA World Cup 26 Final," Murphy said in a statement. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our entire region; hosting the Final provides NYNJ an unparalleled platform to brilliantly showcase what we stand for -- diversity, equality, access, and inclusion."

"The FIFA World Cup 26 Final will be a generation-defining moment for New York/New Jersey, and there's no better place to host the world's biggest game than the world's biggest stage," Adams said in a statement. "New York/New Jersey is ready for North America to be the center of the soccer world, and the history we'll be making in 2026 will create lifetime memories for fans, provide new opportunities for our communities, infuse billions into our economy, and help shape our region and propel it forward for decades to come."

The 2026 World Cup will be played in 16 host cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and will feature 48 teams.

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, a Tenafly, New Jersey native, said he can't wait for it to start.

"To have the final in New York/New Jersey ... it's a dream come true for me, being from the area, an area with a rich tradition in soccer. To think about watching the Cosmos and selling out Giants Stadium, and now this stadium is going to host a World Cup Final, so it's really special," Berhalter said.

Beyond the historical significance, Jim Kirkos, CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce, said the event is expected to bring $2 billion in revenue and 14,000 jobs.

"We know how to do the transportation. We know how to do the security," Kirkos said. "Seven games and the Final is a lot of economic impact, a lot of visitors and tourists coming to our region and we start tomorrow, making sure we're gonna put our best foot forward to provide a great warm welcome to the world."

In:
• New Jersey
• East Rutherford
• World Cup
• Soccer
• U.S. Men's Soccer Team

Otis Livingston

Otis Livingston is CBS 2's weekday sports anchor. The multiple Emmy Award winner has been with WCBS-TV since 2009.

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