World Cup NYC 2026 Guides

Everything fans need — from first-timer logistics to deep neighborhood culture.

World Cup NYC 2026: Complete Guide Directory

The 2026 FIFA World Cup brings 8 matches to New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife) including the Final on July 19. These guides cover everything — whether you have a ticket or you're watching from the best bar in Jackson Heights.

Start here

Planning your trip

Budget

How much does it cost?

Full breakdown — tickets, hotels, transit, food. Budget tiers from free to premium.

International visitors

NYC practical guide

Subway, tipping, currency, safety, weather — what first-time NYC visitors need to know.

Families

World Cup NYC with kids

Free fan zones (under 12 free at USTA), stadium tips, match timing, family-friendly neighborhoods.

First question

New York or New Jersey?

Matches are in NJ, fan experience is in NYC. Here's what that means for your trip.

Watching

TV and streaming guide

FOX, FS1, Telemundo, FOX One, Peacock, Tubi — every option with prices.

Hotels

Where to stay guide

Manhattan vs New Jersey vs outer boroughs — the trade-offs for international fans.

Day trip

Boston → NYC

Amtrak 3.5hrs, $50–120. For fans attending both Boston and NYC matches.

Day trip

Philadelphia → NYC

Amtrak 1h15, $25–80. Easiest day trip of any host city pair.

Day trip

Washington DC → NYC

Amtrak 2.5–3.5hrs. DC has no World Cup matches — many fans making this trip.

Getting there

Stadium and transit

Tickets

Stadium seating guide

Category 1/2/3 explained. Best views, sun position, what changed for the World Cup.

Transit

NJ Transit match-day guide

$98 round trip, 40k cap per match. Buy in advance. The definitive transit guide.

Transit

Getting to MetLife from NYC

Every option — NJ Transit, shuttle, rideshare, driving. Times and costs compared.

Transit

Penn Station guide

Closes to non-ticket holders 4 hours before kickoff. Everything you need to know.

Parking

American Dream Mall guide

Only parking option at $225/match. Pedestrian bridge to stadium. What else is there.

Airports

JFK, LGA, EWR guide

Which airport to fly into, how to get to Manhattan, EWR AirTrain construction warning.

Transit

NYC subway guide

OMNY tap-to-pay, key lines, how to get between fan zones and neighborhoods.

Match days

NYC match-day guides

Planning around a specific match? Each guide covers fan zones open that day, best neighborhoods to watch, and stadium logistics.

June 13

Brazil vs Morocco

6:00 PM ET · Tournament opener at MetLife

June 16

France vs Senegal

3:00 PM ET · Rockefeller Center + Harlem

June 22

Norway vs Senegal

8:00 PM ET · Bay Ridge + Harlem

June 25

Ecuador vs Germany

4:00 PM ET · Jackson Heights vs Yorkville

June 27

Panama vs England

5:00 PM ET · Every English pub at capacity

June 30

Round of 32

First knockout match at MetLife

July 5

Round of 16

Last 16 at New York New Jersey Stadium

July 19

World Cup Final

3:00 PM ET · The biggest day in American soccer history

Finals weekend

Finals Weekend Hotels (Jul 17–20)

22 properties from $259/night. Budget, mid-range & luxury. Affiliate Expedia links.

Finals weekend

Full Finals Weekend Itinerary

Helicopters, Ariana Grande, Buju Banton, rooftops, the Final & post-match NYC.

Watch for free

Fan zones and public viewing

All boroughs

Five boroughs fan zones guide

All 5 official NYC fan zones mapped and explained. All free.

Queens

USTA Fan Zone

Louis Armstrong Stadium, Flushing. Free. Under 12 free. Group stage.

Manhattan

Rockefeller Center Fan Village

July 4–19 knockout stages. Free. FIFA Museum exhibit.

Manhattan

Hudson Yards Backyard

60-foot screen, full tournament, free. 7 train to 34th St.

Complete guide

Every free way to watch in NYC

Fan zones, Tubi, TV antenna, free trials — the full no-cost playbook.

New Jersey

Jersey Fan Hub, Harrison

Sports Illustrated Stadium. $10 group stage, full tournament.

New Jersey

NJ Flag Cities events

Free street festivals on match days across Jersey City, Newark, Secaucus, East Rutherford.

Live entertainment

Concerts & events during the World Cup

Full calendar

Every major NYC event Jun 11–Jul 19

MSG, Barclays, Prudential, UBS Arena, Beacon, Brooklyn Paramount — 50+ confirmed events.

July 4 · Free

Sail4th 250 Tall Ships

Dozens of tall ships from 20+ nations parade into NY Harbor July 3–8. Free July 4 parade, free ship tours, best viewing spots.

Concerts · Barclays

Ariana Grande — 5 nights, Jul 12–19

The Eternal Sunshine Tour. Closing night = World Cup Final day.

Concerts · MSG

Bon Jovi — 6 World Cup window dates

Forever Tour at Madison Square Garden Jul 7–19. Also Final day.

Concerts · MSG

ROSALÍA — Jun 17 & 18

LUX TOUR the night after France vs Senegal. The group stage's biggest show.

Concerts · Prudential + Barclays

Shakira — Jul 14 + Jul 20–21

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour. Waka Waka live during the World Cup.

Concerts · Prudential

A$AP Rocky — Jul 11, Newark

Don't Be Dumb World Tour. 20 min from Midtown by PATH.

Full guide

NYC concerts + fan zones overview

Every major entertainment event of the World Cup window, including free options.

Where the fans are

NYC neighborhood soccer culture

The best World Cup experience often isn't in a stadium — it's in the right NYC neighborhood on the right match day.

Queens

Jackson Heights

South American heartland. Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina. Roosevelt Avenue on match days.

Brooklyn

Bay Ridge

Norwegian-American heartland. Best place in NYC for Norway matches.

Queens

Astoria

Greek, Moroccan, Brazilian, Croatian fans all within blocks. Most diverse soccer neighborhood.

Manhattan

Harlem

West African and Senegalese community. 116th Street on France vs Senegal day.

Overview

Best neighborhoods guide

Where to stay and watch by fan type — the full neighborhood comparison.

Teams

Team base camps and guides

Base camps

Where every team is training

Brazil (Morristown NJ), Morocco (Basking Ridge NJ), Senegal (Rutgers NJ) and all MetLife teams.

Brazil

Brazil World Cup NYC guide

Training in NJ, playing MetLife June 13. The host Final nation's comprehensive guide.

See all 58 nationality fan guides →

Eat

NYC food guides for World Cup fans

NYC classic

Best pizza in NYC

Di Fara, Joe's, Roberta's, Lucali. The definitive New York slice experience.

NYC classic

Best bagels in NYC

Ess-a-Bagel, Russ & Daughters, Murray's. The essential morning ritual.

NYC classic

Best steakhouses in NYC

Peter Luger, Keens, Smith & Wollensky. For the celebration meal.

NYC classic

Best Italian restaurants

Bensonhurst, Arthur Avenue, Carroll Gardens. Real Italian-American NYC.

World-class

Best sushi in NYC

Omakase to casual. For Japan fans and everyone else.

Fan cuisine

Best Brazilian restaurants

Astoria, Newark Ironbound, Little Brazil St. Churrasco, açaí, coxinha.

Fan cuisine

Best Mexican restaurants

Corona, East Harlem, Sunset Park. Tacos, birria, pozole.

Fan cuisine

Best French restaurants

Upper East Side, West Village. Bistros, wine bars, patisseries.

Fan cuisine

Best Argentine restaurants

Jackson Heights, Flatiron. Asado, empanadas, malbec.

Fan cuisine · Korea

Koreatown NYC Guide

Korean BBQ, tofu stew, karaoke on 32nd Street — late-night World Cup eats.

Fan cuisine · Greece

Best Greek restaurants, Astoria

Taverna Kyclades, Telly's, Agnanti — NYC's most famous Greek neighborhood.

Fan cuisine · Colombia

Best Colombian restaurants, Jackson Heights

Roosevelt Ave's Little Colombia — La Pequeña Colombia, Arepa Lady, Cositas Ricas.

Fan cuisine · Germany

Best German restaurants NYC

Yorkville, Ridgewood, Glendale — schnitzel, beer halls, and MetLife June 25.

Fan cuisine · England

Best English pubs NYC

Nevada Smith's, The Churchill, The Winslow — Three Lions fans, MetLife June 27.

2026 Rosters

World Cup squad profiles

Full rosters, key players, coach breakdowns, and NYC match guides for every team with a MetLife fixture.

Group C · MetLife ×3

🇧🇷 Brazil squad 2026

Neymar's return. Vinícius Jr. Full 26-man roster. All three matches at MetLife.

Group I · MetLife June 16

🇫🇷 France squad 2026

Mbappé, Dembélé, Saliba. Full roster. France vs Senegal at MetLife June 16.

Group E · MetLife June 25

🇩🇪 Germany squad 2026

Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz. Full roster. Germany vs Ecuador at MetLife June 25.

Group I · MetLife June 22

🇳🇴 Norway squad 2026

Haaland, Ødegaard. First World Cup since 1998. Norway vs Senegal at MetLife June 22.

Group L · MetLife June 27

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England squad 2026

Bellingham, Saka, Kane. Full roster. England vs Panama at MetLife June 27.

Quick answers

Is your team in the 2026 World Cup?

48 teams qualified. Every confirmed nation, plus who missed out.

Algeria
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Croatia
Ecuador
England
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Haiti
Hungary
Iran
Ivory Coast
Japan
Jordan
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Paraguay
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Senegal
Serbia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
Uruguay
USA
Wales

58 nations

Fan guides by nationality

Where each country's supporters find community, food, and atmosphere across NYC's neighborhoods.

Argentina
Algeria
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Canada
Cape Verde
Colombia
Croatia
Curaçao
Czech Republic
Denmark
DR Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
England
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Haiti
Hungary
Iran
Iraq
Italy
Ivory Coast
Japan
Jordan
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Paraguay
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Senegal
Serbia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
Uruguay
USA
Uzbekistan
Wales

Rosters

2026 World Cup squad profiles

Argentina
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Croatia
Ecuador
England
France
Germany
Haiti
Ivory Coast
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
Norway
Panama
Portugal
Scotland
Senegal
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
USA
Uruguay

Escape the city

Day trips and getaways from NYC

Between matches, NYC's location puts you within striking distance of beaches, mountains, vineyards, and historic towns. All reachable by train or car.

All day trips

Day Trips Hub — 16 Destinations

The complete guide to every day trip from NYC during the World Cup.

Hudson Valley

Hudson Valley Day Trip

Storm King, Dia:Beacon, Rhinebeck — 90 min by train.

Beach

Fire Island Day Trip

Car-free barrier island, LIRR + ferry. The best beach from NYC.

Beach · NJ

Jersey Shore Day Trip

Asbury Park, Point Pleasant — 90 min from Penn Station by NJ Transit.