The FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee announced May 19 that four national teams — Brazil, Haiti, Morocco and Senegal — have selected New Jersey as their official Team Base Camp locations for the tournament.

The selection of New Jersey by the four national teams for their base camps underscores the significance of the Garden State as a soccer hotbed, reflecting the depth of its training infrastructure, regional accessibility and readiness to support teams throughout the entire tournament.

The World Cup, the most-watched sports event on the planet, is an opportunity for the state’s hospitality sector to show it can handle major events, local businesses to accommodate fans from all over the world, and for universities/private institutions to raise their profile and bring them international visibility.

“When teams from three different continents choose New York New Jersey as their home away from home, it reflects the global strength of our region,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York New Jersey Host Committee. “As one of the most diverse regions in the world, these teams will be welcomed to communities that already know and celebrate them, creating an atmosphere of pride and connection throughout the tournament.”

Soccer culture is alive and well in New Jersey. Among the soccer incubators are Kearny and Harrison. The state also benefits from proximity to major soccer clubs such as the Red Bulls and NYCFC.

The state is second to California for producing the most World Cup talent in American history, according to a new analysis by BetMGM that found New Jersey-born players have contributed the most World Cup wins in American history.

Some of the more notable players from New Jersey are Claudio Reyna, born in Livingston, who played in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 World Cups; Tim Howard, raised in North Brunswick, who appeared in 2010 and 2014 World Cups; John Harkes of Kearny, who played in 1990 and 1994 World Cups; and Tony Meola, born in Belleville, who was goalkeeper for the U.S. in 1990, 1994 World Cups.

Here are the four national teams setting up camp in New Jersey:

Brazil
Team Base Camp: Columbia Park Training Center (Morris Township)

Brazil, the only team to win a FIFA World Cup on U.S. soil in 1994, will base its tournament preparations at the Columbia Park Training Center located in Morris Township, a complex built to support elite international competition.

Brazil has played in 22 World Cups, winning five, finishing runners‑up twice and consistently reaching the knockout stages of the tournament.

Brazil will play a Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium on June 13.

Haiti
Team Base Camp: Stockton University (Galloway)

Haiti will base its tournament preparations at Stockton University, extending the FIFA World Cup 2026 footprint to southern New Jersey. Training in the New York-New Jersey region, with its strong and growing Haitian American community, Haiti’s presence highlights the tournament’s global reach and the diverse communities that make the region a welcoming home for teams from around the world.

Haiti, the only Caribbean nation to qualify for the World Cup twice, last played in the tournament in 1974. That year, the island nation lost all three matches in the tournament.

Stockton University campus features a 1,500-seat stadium with a grass pitch, a multi-purpose sports center that includes training facilities, fitness areas, and meeting spaces.

Morocco
Team Base Camp: The Pingry School (Basking Ridge)

Morocco will base its tournament preparations at The Pingry School, a perennial New Jersey high school soccer powerhouse. Morocco will face Brazil at NYNJ Stadium on June 13, bringing one of the tournament’s marquee Group Stage matchups to the region. Morocco became the first Arab nation to defeat perennial powerhouse Brazil, recording a 2-1 friendly win in 2023.

At the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar, Morocco posted its best showing ever on soccer’s grandest stage. The Atlas Lions finished in fourth place, beating soccer powers Belgium, Spain, and Portugal before losing to France in the semifinals and then Croatia in the third-place match. Morocco was the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal.

Senegal
Team Base Camp: Rutgers University (Piscataway)

Senegal will base its tournament preparations at Rutgers University. The Miller Practice Fields at Rutgers University provide two Kentucky Bluegrass pitches, with a sand base supported by modern irrigation and drainage, and premier athletic facilities.

Senegal will compete in two Group Stage matches at MetLife Stadium, facing France on June 16 and Norway on June 22, bringing global attention and high-profile international competition to the New York New Jersey region.

Senegal has appeared in four World Cups (2002, 2018, 2022, 2026). Their best performance came in 2002, when they reached the quarter‑finals on their debut and defeated defending World Cup champion France.