Harrison NJ and Red Bull Arena -- World Cup 2026

Harrison, New Jersey sits just across the Passaic River from Newark and 10 miles from MetLife Stadium. It is home to Red Bull Arena -- the 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium where the New York Red Bulls play -- and it has become one of the most important locations in American soccer, connected to the World Cup in several significant ways.

Inter Miami's training base -- Messi home

Inter Miami CF trained at facilities in Harrison and the surrounding New Jersey area during their 2024 season. This means Lionel Messi -- the defending World Cup champion and the sport greatest player -- has trained within commuting distance of Manhattan. New York's Argentine community has attended Inter Miami vs New York Red Bulls matches at Red Bull Arena specifically to watch Messi in person.

For the 2026 World Cup, Messi returns as Argentina captain and the tournament central figure. His familiarity with the New York metro area makes this the most local World Cup for a non-US team arguably in tournament history.

World Cup team training camps

FIFA assigns training camp facilities to World Cup teams based on proximity to match venues. Several teams competing at MetLife Stadium are expected to use facilities in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. Red Bull Arena and its associated training pitches have been identified as a candidate training facility for at least one World Cup team. Check FIFA's official team base camp list as it is released closer to the tournament.

Getting from Harrison to MetLife Stadium

Harrison to MetLife Stadium is one of the most convenient connections in the region for World Cup fans:

• By car: 15-20 minutes via NJ Route 21 North to Route 3 West. No traffic.
• By transit: PATH to Newark Penn Station (2 stops), then NJ Transit toward Secaucus Junction. Allow 45-60 minutes total.
• By rideshare: 15-20 minutes in normal conditions, 30-45 on match days.

Watching World Cup matches at Red Bull Arena

Red Bull Arena typically organizes public viewing events for major soccer matches. For the 2026 World Cup, the venue may set up a fan zone or public screening for MetLife matches. Check the New York Red Bulls website and Red Bull Arena's events page as the tournament approaches -- being at a soccer-specific stadium to watch a World Cup match on a giant screen, surrounded by other soccer fans, is a legitimate and excellent experience.

Getting to Red Bull Arena

PATH train to Harrison station -- the arena is a 5-minute walk from the platform. From Manhattan (33rd Street, WTC, or Hoboken PATH stations). Journey time: 25-35 minutes from Midtown Manhattan.