There were some great candidates to host the show in 2026, but the final choice comes with a lot of risks
New York will host the 2026 World Cup final! Well, not exactly, but East and Rutherford don't have exactly the same atmosphere. According to FIFA, New York vs. New Jersey will be the venue, but we all know it's the latter, MetLife Stadium, that will host the biggest match the sport has to offer.
Now, let's get this off topic: I'm not going to take any shots at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It's common in American sports for teams to build stadiums outside their cities. In fact, his two other top contenders to host the World Cup final are also outside their respective city limits.When it comes to stadium construction in America, this is just how things work.
But there's something that separates stadiums in the Dallas-Los Angeles area from New York's signature stadiums: innovation. While AT&T Stadium and his SoFi Stadium are among the boldest and most futuristic sports arenas in the world, MetLife is relatively tame and, perhaps more importantly, highly exposed to the elements.
That's why FIFA's decision to choose New York over Dallas or Los Angeles makes MetLife Stadium feel like an incomplete venue chosen for its proximity to the nation's largest city rather than its suitability for the tournament. That makes the decision very risky.
