There were some incredible contenders to host the showpiece in 2026, but the eventual choice does come with plenty of risks
The location of the 2026 World Cup final has been confirmed, and it's headed to New York! Well, not exactly, but East Rutherford doesn't exactly have the same ring to it, does it? According to FIFA, New York-New Jersey will play host, but we all know it's the latter's MetLife Stadium that will be staging the biggest game the sport has to offer.
Now, let's get one thing out of the way: we won't be taking shots at MetLife Stadium being in New Jersey. It's commonplace in American sports for teams to build stadiums outside of their own cities. In fact, the other two top contenders to host the World Cup final are also outside of their own city limits. It's just the way things work when it comes to stadium building in the U.S.
However, there is something that separates the stadiums in the Dallas and Los Angeles areas from the one representing New York: Innovation. While AT&T Stadium and SoFi Stadium are among the boldest and most futuristic sports arenas in the world, MetLife is comparatively tame and, perhaps more importantly, very, very exposed to the elements.
It's what makes FIFA's decision to choose New York over Dallas and Los Angeles so risky, as MetLife Stadium feels like an imperfect host chosen because of its proximity to the country's biggest city, rather than its suitability for the event.
GettySoccer in the Meadowlands
The Meadowlands, where MetLife stadium is located, are no strangers to hosting big games. Once upon a time, it's where Pele roamed and the New York Cosmos turned into a worldwide icon.
The Cosmos called Giants Stadium, MetLife's predecessor, home from 1977-1984, making East Rutherford the most popular place in North American soccer throughout that span. Massive crowds surged to watch the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia attempt to take over American soccer as the premier team in the NASL.
A decade after the collapse of that league, Giants Stadium once again was at the center of the beautiful game as the World Cup rolled to town. The historic 1994 tournament brought seven games to Giants Stadium, including a semi-final between Italy and Bulgaria that saw Roberto Baggio lift the Azzurri to that now-infamous World Cup final.
MetLife Stadium replaced the old Giants Stadium in 2010, costing approximately $1.6 billion, making it the most expensive stadium built in the U.S. at the time of its completion. The stadium has hosted both a Super Bowl and a Wrestlemania and, over its history, has also been the site of several major soccer moments.
It was where Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Brazil in a 2012 friendly, and has hosted plenty of other exhibition matches since its opening. Most notably, though, the stadium hosted the final of the Copa America Centenario in 2016, as Chile beat Argentina on penalties to win the tournament.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe case for Dallas
It's been over a year-and-a-half since host cities were confirmed for 2026, and in that time, the world has wondered who would get the ultimate prize: Hosting rights for the World Cup final.
For a while, it looked like Dallas would get the nod. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was seen at the stadium and reports out of Europe indicated that A&T Stadium, better known as 'Jerry World' in honor of boisterous Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, would be selected.
Dallas would have been a fine host, even with obvious transportation issues due to the stadium's placement in Arlington. 'Jerry World' has hosted plenty of big events, including two Wrestlemanias, dozens of international soccer games, an NCAA Men's Final Four, and a Super Bowl. It's fully enclosed, keeping the elements out, and features the world's largest scoreboard right in the center of the field. With the venue seating 80,000, with the possibility of expanding to over 100,000, it seemed like a good host in the making.
Getty Images SoFi Stadium in the mix?
But, let's be honest: Dallas doesn't have the international reputation of New York. One city that does, however, is Los Angeles, who were another finalist. The city hosted the 1994 World Cup final in nearby Pasadena, which would have made it somewhat poetic for FIFA to return to Hollywood 32 years later.
SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, is among the most beautiful venues in the world, too. It opened its doors in 2020 and was quickly discussed as one of the more beautiful venues out there. Costing somewhere around $6 billion, the stadium has quickly drawn plenty of marquee events, including Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the 2023 College Football National Championship and, soon, the 2028 Summer Olympics.
However, there were concerns about the stadium, though an apparent dispute between SoFi and FIFA around field dimensions has faded into the background, with a U.S. Soccer spokesman confirming that the federation expects all venues to ultimately be compliant with FIFA regulations.
Those concerns may have played a part in the eventual choice as to who will host the final, although LA did get hooked up with two of the U.S. men's national team's three group-stage games. For the showpiece event, however, FIFA turned toward the Meadowlands. It's a plan that comes with plenty of risks.
GettyMetLife's turf monster
For years, the turf at MetLife Stadium has been known for one thing: shortening careers. A seemingly endless supply of NFL players have suffered horrible injuries on that field, most notably Aaron Rodgers, whose season-ending Achilles tear just moments into his New York Jets career was one of the stories of the NFL in 2023.
In an NFL player survey conducted by last year, Metlife Stadium was voted as the worst place to play in the NFL, with responses pointing to the turf, the fans and the "lame" stadium itself.
The turf discussion is not a new phenomenon, particularly in the soccer world. Every year, whether it's MLS, international games or preseason friendlies, turf gets brought up as a potential issue. FIFA are well aware of that, which is why they're requiring stadiums to lay down grass in advance of the 2026 World Cup.
However, that doesn't come without its issues, either. It remains to be seen if MetLife will install permanent grass, the expensive option, or install temporary grass, the cheap option. The latter has often been criticized by players, who have hit out at the increased injury risk brought on by temporary surfaces.
Given the stadium's history of injuries, it'll certainly be a talking point heading toward the tournament.