Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 final being played?

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Sunday 19 July 2026, kick-off 15:00 EDT (UTC-4) = 21:00 SAST. Capacity ~82,500 for football configuration. MetLife is the home of two NFL franchises (New York Jets, New York Giants) and was selected as the World Cup 2026 final venue ahead of competing bids from SoFi Stadium (LA) and AT&T Stadium (Dallas). The first World Cup final ever to be hosted in the United States.

What time does the World Cup 2026 final start in South Africa?

21:00 SAST on Sunday 19 July 2026. East Coast US is on EDT (UTC-4) in July; SAST is UTC+2; so 15:00 EDT = 21:00 SAST. Comfortable Sunday-evening watch in SA — full 90 minutes ends around 23:00 SAST; potential extra time + penalties extends to ~00:00 SAST Monday. Sports bars across SA will be packed; book ahead at the Cape Town / Joburg / Durban venues on /world-cup-2026/where-to-watch-south-africa/.

What is MetLife Stadium's capacity for the World Cup 2026 final?

Approximately 82,500 for football configuration with safe-standing modifications and FIFA-mandated field dimensions. The stadium's NFL capacity is 82,500 (Jets) / 82,500 (Giants); the football configuration uses the same seating arrangement but with the pitch laid over the artificial-turf NFL surface. For comparison: 2022 final (Lusail Stadium, Qatar) was 88,966 attendance; 1994 final (Rose Bowl, USA) was 94,194. MetLife will be the smallest WC final venue by capacity since 1990 (Stadio Olimpico, Rome, 73,603).

Has MetLife Stadium hosted major football matches before?

Yes. MetLife has hosted Copa América Centenario matches (2016 final: Chile vs Argentina, won by Chile on penalties), pre-season and friendly fixtures involving the major European clubs (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, PSG), and CONCACAF Gold Cup matches. The World Cup 2026 final is the most prestigious football match in the venue's history, alongside the 2026 World Cup quarter-final and round of 16 matches MetLife also hosts.

Which 2026 World Cup matches does MetLife Stadium host?

Five matches in total per FIFA scheduling. Group stage: 4 group-stage matches across June. Knockouts: 1 round-of-16 match (late June), 1 quarter-final (3-7 July window), and the final on Sunday 19 July at 21:00 SAST. MetLife is one of the most heavily-utilised venues of the tournament alongside SoFi Stadium (LA) and AT&T Stadium (Dallas).

Where can SA punters bet on the World Cup 2026 final?

All four SA-licensed shortlist operators (Hollywoodbets, Betway, Sportingbet, Sunbet) carry deep markets on the final once the finalists are confirmed after the semi-finals on 14-15 July. Pre-final markets include match 1X2, both teams to score, total goals, first scorer, half-time/full-time, and tournament-MVP-from-finalists. The Edges /world-cup-2026/winner-odds/ page tracks outright tournament-winner pricing through to kick-off. 18+. NRGP 0800 006 008.

venue · world cup 2026 final · new jersey

MetLife Stadium — the World Cup 2026 final venue.

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, hosts the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday 19 July 2026 at 21:00 SAST. The first World Cup final ever held in the United States. Capacity ~82,500 in football configuration. Home of NFL\'s Jets and Giants the rest of the year.

final date 19 Jul

SAST kick-off 21:00

capacity 82,500

opened 2010

The venue, in context

MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 in the Meadowlands Sports Complex, East Rutherford, New Jersey — 12km west of Manhattan, accessible by train from Penn Station NYC or Newark. Built as a shared home for the New York Jets and New York Giants (NFL), it replaced the original Giants Stadium on the same site. FIFA awarded the 2026 World Cup final to MetLife in 2024, beating bids from SoFi Stadium (LA) and AT&T Stadium (Dallas). The first World Cup final ever in the United States — and the first in North America since the 1986 final at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.

For football, MetLife uses an artificial-turf surface modified with natural grass overlay specifically for major-tournament matches. Field dimensions meet FIFA's 105m × 68m mandate. The roof is open-air; July weather in New Jersey is typically 26–32°C in the afternoon with potential thunderstorm risk. The 21:00 SAST (15:00 ET) final kick-off was selected partly to mitigate heat concerns from earlier slot options.

Why this final matters

Three things make the 2026 final at MetLife historically significant. (1) First US World Cup final. The 1994 final was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California — Brazil 0-0 Italy, won on penalties. 2026 is the first US final since US co-hosting expanded the bid to North America. (2) First 48-team final. The expanded format means the finalists arrive having played 8 matches each (vs 7 in 2022) — fatigue + squad-rotation pressure is higher. (3) Likely European-Latin American showdown. Bookmaker outright pricing puts Spain c.5.50, France c.6.00, Brazil c.7.50, England c.7.50, Argentina c.9.00 — four of the five favourites are Europe-based.

MetLife 2026 World Cup match schedule

Group stage (June) — 4 group-stage matches across the first round.
Round of 16 (late June) — 1 R16 match.
Quarter-final (3-7 July window) — 1 QF match.
Sunday 19 July, 21:00 SAST — The Final.

Frequently asked

Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 final being played?: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Sunday 19 July 2026, kick-off 15:00 EDT (UTC-4) = 21:00 SAST. Capacity ~82,500 for football configuration. MetLife is the home of two NFL franchises (New York Jets, New York Giants) and was selected as the World Cup 2026 final venue ahead of competing bids from SoFi Stadium (LA) and AT&T Stadium (Dallas). The first World Cup final ever to be hosted in the United States.
What time does the World Cup 2026 final start in South Africa?: 21:00 SAST on Sunday 19 July 2026. East Coast US is on EDT (UTC-4) in July; SAST is UTC+2; so 15:00 EDT = 21:00 SAST. Comfortable Sunday-evening watch in SA — full 90 minutes ends around 23:00 SAST; potential extra time + penalties extends to ~00:00 SAST Monday. Sports bars across SA will be packed; book ahead at the Cape Town / Joburg / Durban venues on /world-cup-2026/where-to-watch-south-africa/.
What is MetLife Stadium's capacity for the World Cup 2026 final?: Approximately 82,500 for football configuration with safe-standing modifications and FIFA-mandated field dimensions. The stadium's NFL capacity is 82,500 (Jets) / 82,500 (Giants); the football configuration uses the same seating arrangement but with the pitch laid over the artificial-turf NFL surface. For comparison: 2022 final (Lusail Stadium, Qatar) was 88,966 attendance; 1994 final (Rose Bowl, USA) was 94,194. MetLife will be the smallest WC final venue by capacity since 1990 (Stadio Olimpico, Rome, 73,603).
Has MetLife Stadium hosted major football matches before?: Yes. MetLife has hosted Copa América Centenario matches (2016 final: Chile vs Argentina, won by Chile on penalties), pre-season and friendly fixtures involving the major European clubs (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, PSG), and CONCACAF Gold Cup matches. The World Cup 2026 final is the most prestigious football match in the venue's history, alongside the 2026 World Cup quarter-final and round of 16 matches MetLife also hosts.
Which 2026 World Cup matches does MetLife Stadium host?: Five matches in total per FIFA scheduling. Group stage: 4 group-stage matches across June. Knockouts: 1 round-of-16 match (late June), 1 quarter-final (3-7 July window), and the final on Sunday 19 July at 21:00 SAST. MetLife is one of the most heavily-utilised venues of the tournament alongside SoFi Stadium (LA) and AT&T Stadium (Dallas).
Where can SA punters bet on the World Cup 2026 final?: All four SA-licensed shortlist operators (Hollywoodbets, Betway, Sportingbet, Sunbet) carry deep markets on the final once the finalists are confirmed after the semi-finals on 14-15 July. Pre-final markets include match 1X2, both teams to score, total goals, first scorer, half-time/full-time, and tournament-MVP-from-finalists. The Edges /world-cup-2026/winner-odds/ page tracks outright tournament-winner pricing through to kick-off. 18+. NRGP 0800 006 008.