MetLife Stadium is pulling out the stops — and in this case, seats — to secure the 2026 World Cup final.
Organizers behind the home of the Giants and Jets intend to remove 1,740 seats in order to facilitate a wider field for FIFA’s global men’s soccer tournament. The seats are set to be removed from the corners of the venue in East Rutherford, N.J.
MetLife Stadium is competing with the similarly sprawling AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to host the World Cup final on July 19, 2026.
“The FIFA setback provisions really impact MetLife only at the corners,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told The Associated Press.
“Other stadiums have a much tougher nut where they have to set the entire perimeter back. FIFA wants a deal that works for them. New Jersey and New York City — remember our partners New York City — we’re prepared clearly to put serious skin in the game. In fact, we have already.”
Under the current plan, MetLife Stadium — which welcomed more than 83,000 fans for the Giants vs. Jets game last year — would re-add the vacated seats following the World Cup as parts of removable sections.
Officials responsible for AT&T Stadium, which is home to the Dallas Cowboys, have not said how they would accommodate any potential needs to update that venue’s dimensions.
The United States, Canada and Mexico are hosting the 2026 World Cup, marking the second time the men’s tournament will be played in the U.S. The 1994 final took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
“I speak on behalf of 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,” Murphy told The AP.
With News Wire Services
