After submitting to be a FIFA host city as a joint location last June, it’s finally official – NYNJ will be one of 16 host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico to host World Cup soccer games in 2026!
“New York is the greatest city in the world, so it’s only right that we’re hosting the biggest sporting event in the world,” Mayor Eric Adams said during the announcement in Times Square hosted by Michael Strahan. “With over 200 languages and dialects spoken here and every one of the 48 countries that will qualify for the World Cup represented right here in the five boroughs, our city, and region represent the diversity of the world’s sport.”
NYNJ will host eight games during the series at MetLife Stadium, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll even host the World Cup 2026 finale.
“We think we’re gonna get about eight games… that’s 8 Super Bowls in 6 weeks,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who was also in attendance to show the unity between the two states. “This is gonna be the biggest deal we’ve ever seen in this region.”
After their remarks, billboards in Times Square displayed the newly unveiled New York/New Jersey World Cup 2026 official logo and slogan, WE ARE NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, which you can expect to be chanted throughout Metlife in 3 short years.
To join the celebration, the Empire State Building, the Vessel at Hudson Yards, One Vanderbilt, Goethals Bridge, and the Oculus all lit up in Lady Liberty Green, NYNJ’s official World Cup 2026 color!
Among the other 16 host cities, there are 10 in the United States, including Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia.