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Soccer fans rejoice as MetLife Stadium is chosen to host World Cup matches
At a party Thursday at Liberty State Park, MetLife Stadium was selected as one of 16 cities to host the 2026 World Cup.
Anne Marie Caruso, NorthJersey.com
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be held at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas, according to reports, but it has not been officially announced where the most coveted match will be held.
As recently as mid-January, Gov. Phil Murphy said he thought MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford was a likely candidate.
MetLife Stadium will be used as part of New Jersey’s partnership bid with New York City. Efforts to bring some games to the Garden State during the world’s biggest sporting event have been going on for years. The initiative began in 2017 after delays caused by the infamous 2015 FIFA corruption scandal related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments to Russia and Qatar.
The final set of matches will coincide with the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
Here’s a look at the rankings of the two cities vying for honors.
stadium
AT&T Stadium and MetLife have a lot in common. Both are home franchises of the NFL, have turf fields, and host major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, WrestleMania, and international football. And perhaps most importantly for decision makers, both need work.
Both stadiums will need to update their playing surfaces, as FIFA requires turf.
Both facilities have nearly identical histories, with AT&T Stadium opening in 2009 and MetLife in 2010.
MetLife Life has a capacity of approximately 82,500 people, although capacity may be reduced slightly after work is completed to ensure the field meets the organization’s size requirements. AT&T Stadium, on the other hand, has a capacity of 80,000 people, but approximately 100,000 tickets will be sold considering the standing room only area.
However, Texas Stadium is part of a sports complex with multiple venues, including nearby Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium (approximately 40,300 seats and approximately 48,000 seats, respectively), according to reports. There is a possibility that tickets will be sold for fans to watch the final match live.
directions
The most obvious difference between Arlington and East Rutherford is public transportation. While Arlington is the largest city in the United States without mass transit, East Rutherford and northern New Jersey have the nation’s largest state-wide public transit system, including bus, light, and light transit, including a specific rail line that connects directly to MetLife Stadium. Rail and commuter rail are in operation. The Meadowlands train spur alone won’t be enough to accommodate the World Cup’s large passenger numbers, but officials have already spent $35 million to add bus-only lanes to its trains and connect it between Secaucus and MetLife. It is also now possible to shuttle people back and forth.
The New Jersey Transit Authority touted its success in transporting nearly 80,000 people over three days for a Taylor Swift concert last May, but this also includes the 2014 Super Bowl, 2019 WrestleMania event, and the It was a great success compared to previous events, such as Romeo Santos’ concert a few months later. An unexpectedly delayed event.
According to the Fort Worth Report, the city of Arlington is preparing to spend at least $17.5 million on a number of improvements, including expanding transportation access to the stadium.
But there’s more to it than just going to the stadium. For most fans, getting to the host city requires a flight, and A&T Stadium is about 26 miles from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. MetLife is approximately 21 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport, and an additional 30 miles from LaGuardia Airport and JFK Airport.
Newark’s airport offers AirTrain access to NJ Transit, Amtrak, and PASS, as well as several express bus connections to New Jersey and the greater New York City area.
Accommodation and amenities
Attending an event like the World Cup doesn’t just mean going to the stadium for the match. For most fans, the atmosphere surrounding the game is important because it’s an immersive experience.
MetLife’s bid outlines exactly its intentions and what the region can offer. Pitchbook notes that there are more than 300 accredited hotels and nearly 119,000 guest rooms in the metropolitan area, and hundreds of restaurants serving cuisines from around the world in the vicinity.
There will also be a FIFA Fan Fest event open to visitors staying throughout Jersey City’s Liberty State Park, Central Park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Randall’s Island and Prospect Park areas.
In addition to FIFA, highlights include Manhattan’s Theater District, the Yankees and Mets, and Madison Square Garden.
Texas State Fair Park is about 20 minutes from the stadium and features bars and restaurants, as well as a variety of festivals and exhibitions. The bid also touts Fort Worth’s Sundance Square and its restaurants, shops, galleries and performance venues.
Nearby attractions also include Six Flags stores, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, and Arlington Backyard, an outdoor concert venue.
Governor Murphy: Decision on FIFA final at MetLife Stadium to come ‘within weeks’
Report: FIFA rejects MetLife to Dallas to host 2026 World Cup Soccer Finals
keep people safe
With the last two FIFA World Cups held in Russia and Qatar, the organization has faced criticism over wider human rights issues as well as the safety of its employees and fans.
That concern will likely remain paramount when decisions are made regarding the finals’ venue, especially given how far apart New Jersey and Texas residents are politically. New Jersey law provides some of the highest protections for women’s rights and access to reproductive health care. New Jersey’s gun laws are among the most important in the United States. Texas, on the other hand, is less welcoming when it comes to women’s rights, reproductive rights, and gun control.
New Jersey, in partnership with New York, points out in its entire blurb that the region is home to more than 5 million immigrants and that the stadium receives more than 10 million people in a 30-minute period.
Additionally, there are 18 hospitals within 10 miles of the stadium, operated by the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management, which are responsible for coordinating interagency responses to large-scale incidents. It is also emphasized that He is one of the most sophisticated emergency response centers in the world.
We also collaborate between multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies and agencies in nearly every country in the world to ensure the most up-to-date information is collected and shared across protection agencies.
Texas’ bid highlights that Dallas was ranked among the five most diverse cities in the nation five years ago and that the city’s Arts District, at 68 acres, is the largest urban arts district in the United States.
Dallas is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the country, ranks as one of the “Top 5 Cities for African Americans,” and has the ninth largest Latino population in the country.
According to the Dallas website, the World Cup Human Rights Plan “aims to leverage the impact of the World Cup into future local initiatives and policies, and includes information on how hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup will impact World Cup events.” What does that mean? Our goal is to maintain our commitment to North Texas and to “help build community through sports on both a local and global level.” There is no explanation for.
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