MetLife Stadium World Cup Final: Is Walking to the Game Possible?

The 2026 FIFA world cup final is slated to be hosted on July 19th, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The stadium is going through a temporary rebrand, due to FIFA’s sponsorship policies, renaming the stadium “New York New Jersey Stadium”, a notably controversial decision due to the stadium’s location being solely in New Jersey. Several other controversies have followed, such as the lack of public transportation and hostile location of the Stadium.

A new $35 million busway has been planned, along with the irregular Meadowlands Rail Line, which are expected to be used to transport attendees from the closest transit system, Secaucus Junction, to the stadium. NJTransit, owner of all transit mentioned above, intends to implement a large surcharge on tickets for the event, charging a whopping $150 for train service between MetLife Stadium and New York Penn Station, a fifteen minute train ride typically costing riders around $5. The move was unveiled by NJTransit in order to offset a $48 million transportation cost of providing adequate service to the event, which was not subsidized by FIFA. 

The transportation issue surrounding the FIFA world cup finals has caused a stir online. In response to the large costs of public transportation being provided, many FIFA fans have suggested walking to the stadium, which has received immense backlash from American residents, who reject the idea, stating that it’s impossible. So is it possible to walk to MetLife Stadium? Let’s look at the options…

If you were to travel from Secaucus Junction to MetLife stadium, without public transportation, it would only run you a fifteen minute drive. If you were to walk there, google maps estimates a roughly five hour and eleven minute walk. This is due to the industrial nature of the stadium and transit center’s location, as well as the two being separated by the Hackensack River. The majority of roads in this area are freeways such as 95 and of course Route 1. It is illegal in the state of New Jersey for pedestrians to walk on highways and interstate freeways. Improper usage of highway infrastructure, such as walking on the side lane or crossing the barrier, can get you a $54 fine and possibly cited for other traffic violations.

Due to these factors, it turns what is a 6 mile drive into a 14 mile walk, should you follow the proper pedestrian pathways available. As you are required to walk along roads that are not a part of the freeway, the route changes, requiring you to follow the available roads up North from Secaucus all the way to Ridgefield, eventually crossing over the river into Moonachie, and then walking back down South to the stadium. So the short answer is yes, you can walk from Secaucus Junction to Metlife stadium, if you have five hours to spare. Or you might just be better off getting a 15 minute taxi from the train station.