{"id":14955,"date":"2026-06-11T11:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T07:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thrillark.com\/blog\/?p=14955"},"modified":"2026-06-11T11:07:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T07:07:57","slug":"things-to-do-new-jersey-metlife-stadium-world-cup-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thrillark.com\/blog\/things-to-do-new-jersey-metlife-stadium-world-cup-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026 New Jersey Guide: Things to Do Near MetLife Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MetLife Stadium<\/strong> in East Rutherford, New Jersey<\/strong>, is the beating heart of the FIFA World Cup 2026. It is host to eight matches<\/strong>, including the final on July 19, and the tournament’s largest venue, with around 82,500 seats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, New York City<\/strong> glitters just across the Hudson, but the Garden State has more than enough to fill your days right here, from an indoor theme park beside the stadium to skyline views, a world-famous safari park, and miles of summer shoreline. This guide keeps the focus where the football is: New Jersey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIFA World Cup 2026 USA Stadium Guide: All Host Cities, Attractions & Travel Tips<\/span><\/div><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where Is MetLife Stadium and How Do I Get There?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"MetLife<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"MetLife<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MetLife Stadium sits in East Rutherford, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex<\/strong>, about five miles west of Manhattan. For the tournament, it’s officially renamed “New York New Jersey Stadium”<\/strong> under FIFA’s neutral naming rules, but make no mistake \u2013 the matches, the parking lots, and the tailgates are all on New Jersey soil. That makes the towns around the Meadowlands, not Midtown, your most convenient home base. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simplest route to MetLife is NJ Transit rail<\/strong> to Meadowlands Station, which runs special event-day service, usually connecting through Secaucus Junction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Game-day buses, rideshare, and driving<\/strong> are all options, too, though traffic and parking around the final will be intense, so the train<\/strong> is your friend. Basing yourself in nearby New Jersey towns like Secaucus, Hoboken, or Montclair<\/strong> gives you direct train lines to Meadowlands Station and far better local food than you’d find packed into Times Square. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right Next to the Stadium: American Dream<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"American<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"American<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You barely have to leave the parking lot to find a full day out. American Dream<\/strong>, directly beside MetLife Stadium, is one of the largest entertainment complexes in the country and a destination in its own right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside you’ll find Nickelodeon Universe<\/strong> (a huge indoor theme park), the DreamWorks Water Park<\/strong>, Big SNOW<\/strong> (a year-round indoor ski slope), a SEA LIFE Aquarium<\/strong>, a LEGOLAND Discovery Center<\/strong>, the Dream Wheel observation wheel<\/strong>, an ice rink<\/strong>, and blacklight mini-golf<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s the ideal rainy-day, hot-day, or keep-the-kids-happy option, all under one roof and a short walk from your seat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right next door, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment<\/strong> adds an evening of harness racing to the mix. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jersey Waterfront: Skyline & Statue of Liberty Views<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Liberty
Liberty State Park <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Liberty
Liberty Science Center <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hoboken
Hoboken <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty are actually from the New Jersey side of the river, and they come with smaller crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n