MetLife Stadium is proving to be one of the most difficult World Cup arenas to travel to and from.
The venue, rebranded to New York New Jersey Stadium due to FIFA’s strict branding guidelines, has not gone down well.
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Following the Brazil-Morocco match, thousands of World Cup fans were left stranded outside.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherril has refused to reduce a $98 ticket price, meaning some trains were leaving the iconic Penn Station half empty.
The home of the NFL’s New York Jets and Giants, is currently slated to host the World Cup final on July 19.
After experiencing the travel nightmare first hand, eSPORTY’s Simon Jordan believes it is not fit to host the biggest game of the tournament.
“I thought it was a hideous experience going to MetLife,” Jordan said.
“A hideous experience and not one that I would care to repeat.
“Obviously the Qatar World Cup was a different dynamic so it is unfair to compare it to that.
“Walking onto the footprint of the MetLife and getting out of that, and taking the best part of an hour to come out of the footprint was hideous.
“The idea that you guys have got it right, in terms of getting people in and out of the stadium, you might have got that transit right because New Jersey put the prices up, as they should.
“But the idea that it was enjoyable, a reflective of an elite competition is hideous.”
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Jordan is not the only eSPORTY host who believes the final shouldn’t be hosted at the $1.6 billion venue.
Ally McCoist – who has been well travelled across the tournament this summer, believes it should be at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico.
“They have obviously had a bit of work done in the stadium, but you could close your eyes, open them, and you can still see Rivellino crossing that ball for Pele,” McCoist said.
“You can still see Diego Maradona. You can just smell it. It was fantastic.
“By the way, that is where the final should be.”
On the pitch, despite a nervy-first look – the installation of natural grass has been a resounding success so far.
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NFL players have been told to ‘fight’ to keep the natural grass surfaces installed at stadiums across the United States.
Once the World Cup is over, turf will return for the beginning of the 2026 NFL season, much to the dismay of many players who believe it can cause more injuries.
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