Nothing in sport comes close to the World Cup final.
The rule changes, ticket prices, debateable ethics and fire-engine sunburn all matter but when it comes to kick-off time, the final of in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Operating for FIFA commercial purposes as New York New Jersey Stadium, MetLife is the home of the New York Jets and New York Giants of the NFL and makes New York-ish the third CONCACAF city to host a World Cup final.
The World Cup finals of 1970 and 1986 were both bestowed upon Mexico City and played at the iconic Estadio Azteca, which is also hosting games at this year’s co-hosted World Cup.
When the United States hosted the World Cup alone in 1994, the final between Brazil and Italy was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The final will be the eighth World Cup 2026 match played at MetLife Stadium. Four of its five group stage matches featured a previous World Cup winner.
As a result of the last World Cup in Qatar being played during the season, the 2026 final will complete the shortest gap between World Cup finals in the competition’s 96-year history.
Argentina claimed their third World Cup success on in December 2022 – 1,309 days before this year’s MetLife showpiece.