From Maplewood Township:
Mark your calendars, Maplewood. This summer, the 2026 World Cup lands in nearby East Rutherford for eight exciting matches at MetLife Stadium, culminating in the Grand Finale on July 19, 2026. The World Cup is anticipated to bring more than a million tourists to the New York-New Jersey region, and Maplewood plans to make the most of it.
“The six-month countdown has begun,” said Mayor De Luca. “We are planning all sorts of local World Cup activities, from watch parties to themed menu offerings to youth soccer events. This is being called the biggest and greatest sporting event ever, and it’s a fun opportunity to showcase our town while rooting on our teams as a community,” said De Luca.
The 2026 World Cup, which kicks off June 11th in Mexico, will span 3 host nations – Canada, Mexico and the United States – over 39 days. Eight of the 78 matches, including the finale, will be at MetLife Stadium (which will be temporarily renamed NYNJ Stadium). You can find the full NJ-based schedule at the FIFA World Cup NY-NJ website.
“We’re planning some World Cup-themed activities for our parks, town pool and summer camps,” said Melissa Mancuso, Director of Community Services. “A family fun day is in the works, as are soccer-themed movies in the park. We hope to collaborate with our local youth soccer clubs to sponsor events, with the goal of introducing even more kids and adults to the game,” said Mancuso.
Other activities in the pipeline include themed book readings at the Maplewood Memorial Library and art displays at the 1978 Maplewood Arts Center. And, of course, one of Maplewood’s best features – our local food scene – plans to get in on the action. “Maplewood is home to so many fun international & local restaurants. They are gearing up to host menu offerings that represent the flavors of the World Cup,” said ErinRose, Executive Director of the Maplewood Village Alliance. Nicole Wallace, Executive Director of the Springfield Avenue Partnership, added, “With Poland, Ireland, Ukraine and other countries playing in the qualifying matches, we plan to start some of our restaurant promotions as early as March.”
Stay tuned to the Township’s social media channels on Instagram and Facebook for details on upcoming events.
