Donovan McNabb and the State of Football
NEW YORK – On the same day FIFA unveiled the official logo and brand campaign for the 2026 World Cup, New York City and New Jersey government leaders are pitching to host the men’s championship game at MetLife Stadium.
“Eight games we believe we’re going to have, we need the finals here,” NYC Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday during a World Cup logo launch event in Times Square.
“We think we’re gonna get at least eight games, that’s eight Super Bowls in six weeks,” said New Jersey governor Phil Murphy. “Every single ticket will be sold out; I guarantee it, no matter who’s playing. This is going to be the biggest deal we’ve ever seen in this region.”
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets, is a top option to host the 2026 World Cup finals, with Dallas and Los Angeles also in the running. The tournament will be the first World Cup held across three countries: the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 World Cup will span 16 cities across the three countries, consisting of 48 teams and 104 matches for what New York/New Jersey government officials say will be “the biggest sporting event ever.”
NYCFC’s new $780 million, 25,000-seat stadium in Queens next to the Mets’ Citi Field is expected to be ready for the 2027 MLS season. That timeline would make the stadium a potential host option for the 2027 Women’s World Cup—which the U.S. and Mexico have submitted a joint bid to host one year after the men’s tournament.
“We hosted the women’s World Cup in 1999 and wouldn’t mind doing the women again in 2027, by the way,” Murphy said Thursday. “Hold that thought, the Mayor [Adams] and I will be back on that one.”
