FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared on Saturday that the final of the Club World Cup, which will be extended, will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next year.
The New York Giants and New York Jets of the NFL play in this stadium, which was previously selected to host the 2026 World Cup.
The first iteration of the enlarged 32-club competition will begin on June 15 and go until July 13 at MetLife.
The tournament will take place in twelve different locations, just two of which are on the West Coast: Lumen Field in Seattle and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, close to Los Angeles.
The tournament is taking place at the same time as the regional CONCACAF Gold Cup which will be held mainly on the West Coast.
The other venues which will host games are — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville), Camping World Stadium (Orlando), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).
Thirty of the thirty-two spots are already guaranteed thanks to the qualification process; the tournament draw is scheduled for December.
Teams who have won titles in each of FIFA’s continental confederations will compete in the Club World Cup.
Twelve European teams, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, as well as six South American teams—Argentina’s River Plate, Brazil’s Flamengo, and Argentina’s Boca Juniors—have qualified for the event.
“This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup which will impact enormously the growth of club football and talent globally,” said Infantino.
The Global Citizen Festival’s stages in Central Park, New York, were revealed by FIFA President.
Additionally, FIFA and Global Citizen announced a four-year cooperation to promote the latter’s anti-poverty programs.
Prior to the 2026 World Cup, the tournament is expected to serve as a crucial test, with security concerns coming to light following unruly crowds at the Copa America games in July at Charlotte and Miami stadiums.
FIFA has not yet disclosed any sponsorship or broadcast agreements for the competition.