Soccer fans use NJ Transit after FIFA Club World Cup final
Soccer fans are shown departing MetLife Stadium after the FIFA Club World Cup final game, Sunday, July 13, 2025.
HARRISON — Chelsea Choi just wanted to root for the United States. That’s what she told her dad, Ed Choi, as the family drove from Morristown to Sports Illustrated Stadium for the international soccer friendly between the American men’s national team and South Korea.
The elder Choi had a bit of a philosophical response to his daughter, a freshman at Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon.
He didn’t quite say no. More like, not today.
“I’m a proud U.S. citizen,” said Choi, who wore a red shirt with Korea! printed in white letters in English and Korean above K–NYNJ – one of thousands given away by Ace Travel in Palisades Park.
“But we acknowledge our roots and where we came from. This is sharing our country’s legacy and family legacy, to pass it on to the next generation.”
Ed Choi, an IT consultant who had watched the national team play in Korea while he worked there in the mid-2010s, was also looking forward to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That’s when Chelsea and the rest of the family will have a chance to root for both Korea and the United States.
K Choi braved a downpour to bring his wife, Anna, and 5-year-old daughter Irene to the match – the first for all of them. He was already planning to apply for tickets for the World Cup next year, which he said is “definitely a big event for everybody.”
He found out about the friendly about two months ago through Korean news and social media. It was quickly obvious who the red-clad fans were supporting.
They quickly started chanting, “Daehanmingug,” or “Republic of Korea,” which is how the South is referred to in much of the world. And the many Korean fans were rewarded by a 2-0 victory against the United States in a sold-out stadium on Sept. 6.
When Heung-Min Son scored 18 minutes into the match, the fans were so raucous, if Sports Illustrated Stadium had a roof, it would have been blown off. Son, who recently transferred from Tottenham to Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer, finished with a goal and an assist.
Variations of his name and No. 7 dotted fans’ backs throughout Sports Illustrated Stadium on Sept. 6. South Korea coach Myung-Bo Hong said “it was like a home match” and complimented the crowd.
“(The World Cup) is going to be huge,” said K Choi, who more subtly displayed his allegiance with a red Bayern Munich T-shirt. “An event like this will create an opportunity for the older generation to see soccer, even a friendly match.”
New Jersey soccer legend honored
This is the first time the United States men’s national team has played at Sports Illustrated Stadium since 2017. Before the match started, U.S. Soccer recognized retired captain and midfielder Michael Bradley.
Michael Bradley got his start in soccer as a ball boy while his father, Bob, coached the Princeton University men’s team.
Michael Bradley earned 151 international appearances from 2006-19, third-most in USMNT history. He played in both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, the former with his father as head coach.
Bradley has 17 goals and 23 assists with the national team.
“There’s still nothing like a World Cup,” said Bradley, who retired in 2023 and is now the head coach of Red Bulls II. “You genuinely feel like the world stops for that month. The eyes of the world are on you. … To see the effect that had on people, that was amazing.”
Hudson Schmidt might not know much about Bradley’s accolades. But the 10-year-old from Lacey is absolutely looking forward to the World Cup. He wants to go to the first game and the final at MetLife Stadium, “but it’s a lot of money.”
During the summer, Schmidt went to see Dutch striker Erling Haaland play with Manchester United against Wydad AC in the first round of the FIFA Club World Cup in Philadelphia.
“It was a great experience. I can’t really explain it,” said Schmidt, a striker for the Lacey Villains. “(The World Cup) is going to be better. Everyone’s going to be more pumped, and everyone’s going to be so much harder. More expensive. More of everything.”