FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™

HC WELCOME WORLD & Flag Cities Festivals

The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on—and Hudson County is ready to celebrate.

Join us for Flag Cities Festival events, presented by Goya, as well as HC WELCOME WORLD in Bayonne as Hudson County brings the energy of the World Cup to communities across Northern New Jersey. These exciting events will feature food trucks, beer gardens, live music, interactive soccer activities, and vibrant vendor villages for fans of all ages.

In partnership with The Meadowlands, Hudson County will host a series of events across multiple locations—bringing together thousands of soccer fans, residents, and visitors throughout the region.

Transportation details, including parking, public transit, and local shuttle options, will be announced soon.

Event Schedule

Friday, June 12 – Columbus Drive, Jersey City, NJ
Sunday, June 14 – Overpeck Park, Bergen County, NJ
Sunday, June 21 – Laurel Hill Park, Secaucus, NJ
Wednesday, June 24 – Mulberry Commons, Newark, NJ
Friday, June 26 – Downtown, East Rutherford, NJ

Hudson County Welcome World Festival

Sunday, June 28– Stephen R. Greg Park, Bayonne NJ

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Be Involved

If you are interested in participating as a food vendor or retail/craft vendor at either Flag Cities 2026 or Welcome World 2026, please apply using the link below:

Vendor Application

FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™

The FIFA World Cup 26™ tournament spans across Canada, Mexico and USA with 104 games featuring 48 teams across 16 host cities. New York New Jersey Stadium will host a total of eight World Cup matches – Five in the Group Stage, one in the Round of 32, one in the round of 16 and the Final! The 2026 World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

It’s a huge honor for the FIFA World Cup Trophy to be raised in the final match on July 19th in New Jersey!

FIFA World Cup 26™ Group Stage Fixtures

Saturday, June 13, 2026 – Brazil vs Morocco at 6PM
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 – France vs Senegal at 3PM
Monday, June 22, 2026 – Norway vs Senegal at 8PM
Thursday, June 25, 2026 – Ecuador vs Germany at 4PM
Saturday, June 27, 2026 – Panama vs England at 5PM

FIFA World Cup 26™ – Round of 32 Fixtures

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 – Match 77 Group I Winners v Group C/D/F/G/H Third Place

FIFA World Cup 26™ – Round of 16 Fixtures

Sunday, July 5, 2026 – Match 91 Winner Match 76 v Winner Match 78

FIFA World Cup 26™ – Quarter-Final Fixtures, Semi-Final Fixtures and Bronze Final

Held in Other Cities and Host Stadiums

FIFA World Cup 26™ Final Match

Sunday, July 19, 2026 – Match 104 Final- Winner Match 101 v Winner Match 102

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE 2026

Plan Your Trip to Hudson County, NJ

What to expect

The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup was in 1994. Other previous North American hosts were Mexico in 1970 and 1986. Though holding the games across three large countries will certainly pose travel challenges for teams and fans, the United Bid attempted to address some of this by designing regional clusters for teams and groups.

The games are this summer and people are already planning their trips and booking their stays. Word on the street is that some organizations including FIFA crews are booking up entire hotels to accommodate their groups. Considering many Europeans spend their lengthy summer vacations touring for the FIFA World Cup™, we expect hotels to sell out quickly.

What to do when Visiting Hudson County, NJ

Visitors to Hudson County have so much to do during the FIFA World Cup™, from top rated restaurants to scenic adventures relaxing along the Hudson River waterfront where you can soak in stunning skyline views of Manhattan.

Hudson County is known for having some of the best American diners in the country and some of the most innovative food trucks and breweries. We have world-class arts and culture, parks and nature, and some of the best diverse cuisine in the country. Many neighborhoods are walkable, or you can pick up one of our bike share bikes to explore on two wheels. Walk or ride along the waterfront or hop on a ferry for the short and scenic ride from here to NYC.

Where to stay during the World Cup

We have dozens of options for accommodations that would be perfect for a World Cup visit, including the Hyatt Place Secaucus Meadowlands, Aloft Secaucus Meadowlands, 4-star hotels in Secaucus, all nearby MetLife Stadium.

For more Hudson County itinerary inspiration, head to visithudson.org for Tiny Trips, Group Tour ideas, a full list of Hotels, and more.

** Please note that for the FIFA World Cup 26™, MetLife Stadium is referred to New York New Jersey Stadium **

THINGS TO DO in Hudson County, NJ