International fans visiting New York and New Jersey for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ are bound to find lots to do in addition to attending soccer matches.
New York New Jersey’s host committee says it is ready to welcome waves of people to an “unforgettable World Cup experience” that shows off some of the best that the United States has to offer, including the area’s rich cultural institutions and entertainment options.
Standing amid the glow of electronic billboards and the crowds of Times Square is a real New York experience. (© Karlos West/Shutterstock.com)
In New York, the nation’s largest city, visitors may sample cuisines from all over the world. They should choose carefully, as trying each of the city’s 17,600-plus restaurants would take 16 years of eating three meals out every day. New Jersey offers a strong international vibe as well, with festivals and art exhibitions representing cultures from around the globe.
This year’s tournament, from June 11 to July 19, will be the largest since its inception in 1930 and feature 48 national teams playing 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The eight matches now scheduled (Brazil, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Morocco, Norway, Panama and Senegal) for the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, kick off June 13, with a Brazil-Morocco game, and end with the World Cup final July 19.
Travelers to the region should prepare for warm and muggy conditions. The average upper temperature is 83 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius), and the average low is around 66 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius).
Tourists taking photos are attracted by the Manhattan skyline visible from the Brooklyn Bridge. (© Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
Visitors will have plenty to see in the area between matches, much of it accessible by an extensive public transportation system. Headline attractions include the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building observation deck and the lights of Times Square. New York’s world-class museums include The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History.
The budget-conscious can take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry (it’s free) — after visiting Wall Street in the Financial District and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in southern Manhattan — or walk across the pedestrian-friendly Brooklyn Bridge.
(© Rich Tu/FIFA)
Midtown Manhattan is home to the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, legendary shopping and Rockefeller Center, known for its iconic architecture and television studios.
A hidden gem in New Jersey is Jersey City’s Newark Avenue, a partly pedestrian-only street with restaurants and a vibrant art scene. Easily accessible by PATH trains from New York, Newark Avenue is a favorite of many locals.
The official New York New Jersey poster for the games features a soccer ball held aloft by the Statue of Liberty and other local icons — dice representing New Jersey casinos and a slice of classic New York pizza — creating a convergence of the world’s most popular sport with local attractions.
Soccer unites people, says superfan Justin Miller, chief executive of Rush Soccer, a youth soccer organization with New York headquarters.
“It’s a transformative moment for any country that hosts it,” Miller said of the world’s biggest soccer tournament. “For it to be the United States, it really puts a stamp on the fact that the sport is here, and it’s here to stay.”
Susan Milligan is a freelance writer.
[Editor’s note: Teams and locations for some matches are not set at the time of publication.]