FIFA Club World Cup Final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium offers preview of excitement for 2026 World Cup
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, came alive Sunday with excitement for the FIFA Club World Cup Final.
Chelsea overwhelmed Paris Saint-Germain in the first half and beat the European champions 3-0 on Sunday in the final of the first expanded Club World Cup.
It was the first time the Club Final happened in the United States. Security was tight, and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended the game.
The 2026 World Cup Final is scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
Excited soccer fans tailgate outside MetLife Stadium
Fans showed up hours ahead of the match to tailgate, playing soccer in the parking lots and cooking traditional choripan sandwiches on portable grills.
"This is a quality time with the guys over here," Saddle Brook resident Christian Monza said, adding the festivities outside the stadium were "absolutely" more important than the game.
"We're here, barbecuing with some music," said Monza's daughter, Mia Monza.
Christian Monza said the experience was extra personal for him because it was the first time he got to see a final with his daughter.
"She's really into soccer, which, I'm born and raised with soccer, so very happy to be here," he said.
Fans rolled in by the busload.
Connor Policarpio's family made the hours-long drive from Bristol, Connecticut.
"There's been a lot of hype about the Club World Cup, and then we have the World Cup next year. Should be a great time, you know, soccer has been growing a lot in the USA," he said.
"I think it's great. There are people from all over the world here. It's good advertising for football in general," said Basile Al Mileik, a Paris native who now lives in Brooklyn.
Chelsea and PSG fans shouted their support, while others proudly showed off the flags from their home countries that have strong cultural ties to soccer, or fútbol.
"We support every team," Christian Monza said.
Local businesses see benefits from CWC Final in New Jersey
The impact of the Club World Cup on New Jersey has been felt far beyond MetLife Stadium.
"We're filling restaurants. We're filling the local diners. We're filling hotel rooms. And it's a terrific showcase event," said Jim Kirkos, CEO of the Meadowlands Regional Chamber and Meadowlands Live! Convention and Visitors Bureau. "And you know I tell people, the economic impact isn't only now. If we do a really good job of providing a good experience to people, they'll come back."
Businesses, like Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst, say it's setting the stage for the World Cup next year.
"We're excited for that. This is a great little warm-up. Really looking forward to that," Colonial Diner owner Jim Gremanis said.
Plenty of fans leaving Sunday's game are hoping to return next year.
"For sure, we're saving already for that," a South Brunswick resident said.
"Without a doubt, 100 percent," a man from Maine said.