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MetLife Stadium — New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament — sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey, about nine miles from Midtown. There’s no general parking on match days, and FIFA has made this a transit-only event. Here’s every way to get there, with current prices.

  • NJ Transit train, the primary route. Dedicated match-day trains run from Penn Station to Meadowlands Station, right next to the stadium, connecting through Secaucus Junction. Round-trip is $98, the trip takes about 35 to 40 minutes, and trains run every 10 to 15 minutes starting four hours before kickoff. Only 40,000 passes are sold per match, available exclusively through the NJ Transit app — there’s no day-of purchase. Penn Station itself is restricted to ticket holders for the four hours leading up to kickoff. Buy early.
  • Official shuttle bus. The Host Committee runs shuttles from three Manhattan locations — Port Authority Bus Terminal, Columbus Circle, and near Grand Central — for $20 round-trip, capacity around 10,000 riders per match. Tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable, and must be bought in advance. On match days, 42nd Street becomes bus-only from First Avenue to Twelfth, and dedicated lanes run along Fifth and Sixth Avenues between 42nd and 59th. Budget 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.
  • Rideshare. Uber and Lyft can only drop off and pick up at Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, about a mile from the stadium with a walking connection. There’s a $10 surcharge heading there and a $60 surcharge leaving, and post-match waits of 45 to 60 minutes are typical. Fine as a backup if rail and shuttle passes are sold out, but not a great option after the Final.
  • NJ Transit via Hoboken. If you’re staying in Hoboken or Jersey City, take PATH to Hoboken Terminal, then connect to NJ Transit toward Secaucus Junction and Meadowlands Station. This skips Penn Station entirely and can be less crowded, though you still need the same match-day transit pass.
  • Parking at American Dream Mall. Connected to the stadium by a walkway, $225 per match for ticket holders, around 5,000 spaces total, with Final parking already sold out. Only worth considering if you’re driving in from out of state with a full car — not practical from Manhattan.

What to expect on match day

Street closures start six hours before kickoff and last until three hours after the match ends. Even if you’re not going to the game, expect Midtown traffic to be a mess on those eight days — major construction citywide is paused for all of them. Whatever route you’re taking, leave at least 90 minutes before kickoff, and expect dense crowds afterward no matter which option you pick.

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