New Jersey
FIFA, here are some better facts about NJ for fans ahead of the World Cup at MetLife
USMNT opens 2026 World Cup at SoFi Stadium
FIFA announced the schedule for the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. Men’s National Team will open at SoFi Stadium, while MetLife Stadium will host the World Cup final.
Fox – LA
You may have heard the biggest sporting event in the world is coming to New Jersey as MetLife is set to host the FIFA World Cup championship in 2026. People from all over the world will be traveling to the tri-state area to watch some of the best athletes in the world compete for one of the most prestigious prizes in sports.
Those who are coming from all across the globe for this iconic event may be unfamiliar with our home, New Jersey, so here is a little introduction to assist those who may be new to the area. This may be particularly helpful if you’re only going off the facts listed by FIFA. The website still says “New York’s most famous natives include Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen.”
Here’s more info, from locals:
The final is in New Jersey, not New York
On FIFA’s website, their is a section where people can observe the “host countries and cities.” When you click on the icon a list of cities appear that are hosting World Cup games. One may notice that each city has it’s own square, but one square that stands out is titled “New York New Jersey.”
New York New Jersey is not a place. New York is a place, and New Jersey is a place. MetLife stadium is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, not New York. The stadium is home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets, so it may appear confusing but the World Cup finals will be held in New Jersey and not the neighboring New York. MetLife Stadium is very close to the New York City in case tourists want to venture there before the big game. The stadium is about just under 10 miles from New York City by car.
World Cup tickets How to get World Cup tickets 2026 as final will be played at MetLife Stadium
Famous people and soccer stars from New Jersey
New Jersey is home to some of the most famous celebrities in the world. Iconic singers like Frank Sinatra and Whitney Houston to well-known actors such as James Gandolfini and John Travaolta all were born and raised in northern New Jersey. One of the greatest athletes of all time, professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal was also born in New Jersey.
New Jersey is also the home to many professional soccer athletes too. A total of 19 New Jerseyans currently play in the the United States soccer league, MLS, in the 2024 season. Those players include Alejandro Bedoya from Englewood who currently plays for Philadelphia Union, Matt Miazga from Clifton who plays for F.C. Cincinnati and Bento Estrela from Bloomfield who plays for the New York Red Bulls.
The legendary 2019 U.S. Woman’s World Cup team that won the championship had two New Jersey natives on their roster, stars Tobin Heath from Basking Ridge and Carli Lloyd from Delran. Heath has also played for Arsenal and Manchester United in her professional career.
Other women’s soccer stars from New Jersey are Heather O’Reilly from East Brunswick who helped aid the United States woman’s national soccer team to a 2015 World Cup victory, and Christie Pearce Rampone from Ocean County, New Jersey who is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Cup champion.
This past year’s United States Woman’s national soccer team that played in the World Cup also had two New Jersey natives competing on the roster, defender Alana Cook of Fair Hills, and goalkeeper Casey Murphyof Bridgewater.
On the men’s U.S. international team, New Jersey was represented by Joe Scally from Lake Grove played in the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Tim Howard, one of the greatest goalkeepers in American history, also hails from the Garden State.
These 18 celebrities were born in North Jersey
Other major sports events
This is not the first major sporting event to be hosted at MetLife Stadium. The Super Bowl, one of America’s biggest sporting event, was held at MetLife Stadium in 2014. The Copa América Centenario Final was also held at MetLife in 2016.
The New Jersey stadium has hosted numerous international soccer matchups, college football games and concerts of the world’s biggest artists. MetLife has seen some legendary performances, and the World Cup final in the summer of 2026 may be the most historic for the venue.
When it was still known as Giants Stadium, MetLife has even hosted World Cup matches before back in 1994.
World Cup 2026 betting odds: Here are the favorites to win the final at MetLife Stadium
Food in New Jersey
New Jersey is home so some classic eateries. You cannot find a place in the world with better bagels. Almost every deli can serve you an iconic bacon or Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich.
Northern New Jersey is proud to be one of the most diverse areas in the country. You can find restaurant of so many different cultures from Italian, Spanish, Mediterranean, Asian and so much more within just minutes of MetLife stadium.
Activities in the area
For all those traveling across the world to see this game, or any of the other World Cup games at MetLife as the stadium is set to host eight total World Cup matches, there so many great ways to keep yourself entertained in the northern New Jersey area.
Right across from MetLife Stadium is the American Dream Mall, the second largest shopping mall in the United States. The enormous complex has plenty of activities such as the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park, the DreamWorks water park and the Big Snow ski resort. The mall of course is home to so many shops and dining experiences.
Despite its urban centric location, North Jersey has some great outdoor activities around MetLife Stadium. New Jersey offers some great hiking locations such as Ramapo Valley County reservation, about 25 miles from MetLife Stadium.
With so much to do in New Jersey, what makes this state even better is that it is so close to one of the most iconic cities in the world, New York City. Those who are visiting will find it convenient how MetLife is just a short trip away from Manhattan. When in the city, World Cup watchers can see a Broadway show, visit some iconic tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty or just chill in Washington Square Park.
New Jersey cannot wait to welcome so many visitors as the Garden State is set to host one of the most iconic events in the whole world.
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As he enters his final weeks in office, Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday touted a decline in crime across New Jersey.
Speaking at a court and police building in East Rutherford, Murphy said there were 559 shooting victims statewide last year, a 28% decline compared to the previous year.
Of the 559 victims, 107 were fatalities.
At the start of his term, more than 1,300 people were shot annually, Murphy said. The 2025 reduction marks the fourth consecutive year of declines in gun violence injuries.
“That’s not to say we are perfect,” Murphy said. “Because the objective is to get it down to zero.”
Motor vehicle thefts also dropped in 2025 — from 15,041 to 13,693 — according to New Jersey State Police statistics. That was a 9% decrease.
Murphy signed legislation in July 2023 that increased criminal penalties for auto theft offenders, focusing on repeat offenses and large-scale automobile trafficking.
“While there is more work to be done, this moment underscores the strength of the tools, practices and initiatives that have been put in place during the Murphy administration to protect residents and support lasting public safety across our state,” Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way said.
State Attorney General Matthew Platkin attributed the decline in crime to treating gun violence as a public health issue.
“That happened because of a sustained commitment to treating gun violence like the public health crisis it is,” Platkin said.
Platkin also cited drops in shootings in New Jersey’s largest cities, including Paterson, which saw a state police takeover after a corruption scandal. Shootings in the city fell to 42 last year from 127 the year before, he said.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said his city also saw historic lows in shootings and murders, with killings dropping to 31 last year, a 19% decrease from the previous year.
“Even as we laud our accomplishments, and we have many to talk about, we still have people who have been victimized in our city,” Baraka said last week.
State officials lauded local gun violence interruption groups as integral to the reduction.
“These groups are doing good and important work,” Platkin said.
Murphy said the coalitions often engage communities in ways law enforcement cannot.
“They’re on the streets, they know the community unlike any of us,” Murphy said. “They know it better than law enforcement. They know it better than elected officials.”
New Jersey’s acting State Police superintendent, Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz, said the reduction in crime was the result of collaboration between multiple government agencies and community partnerships.
“These reductions in crime represent more than statistics — they represent lives saved,” Sierotowicz said.
Police shot and killed a knife-wielding suspect outside a home in Piscataway, where three people were later found dead, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Mitchell Avenue and River Road. Police responded to the scene after receiving a 911 call from a man reporting that someone was inside the home with a knife. Upon arrival, officers saw the suspect on the porch holding a knife.
The man, whose identity has not been released, fled from the porch, leading to a foot chase that ended when the suspect charged at the officers, according to law enforcement sources. Police attempted to subdue the suspect with Tasers, but they were ineffective, sources told News 4.
After the suspect continued to advance toward the police, the responding officers fatally shot him in the street.
“They told him to stop several times; they gave him commands to stop,” said Jessica Conroy, a resident of the area.
Following the shooting, officers discovered three other deceased individuals inside the home. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating their deaths.
“This is a really nice neighborhood,” Conroy told NBC New York. “I never saw anything bad at the other house.”
The identities of the civilians and officers involved have not yet been released.
The police investigation is ongoing.
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