In 4 years, there will be screaming World Cup fans at MetLife. For now, they're in bars.

Soccer fans in New Jersey will have to wait four years before they can watch World Cup games live in their state, but local bars have been flooded with people rooting for their favorite teams during the current tournament.

On Saturday, December 10, 2022, at The Lobby, a sports bar in Elizabeth, every table was full as the World Cup quarterfinal between Portugal and Morocco played on large TVs. Most of the crowd was cheering for Portugal, with only about four people supporting Morocco. Morocco upset Portugal and advanced to the semifinals.

Anas Ifegous, a Moroccan at the bar, was excited following the match, noting it was a historical moment since Morocco had never advanced this far in the World Cup before.

MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands was selected to host 2026 World Cup soccer games, FIFA's president announced in June 2022. Boston, Miami, and Philadelphia were also selected as East Coast host cities. The men's 2026 World Cup will feature a 48-team tournament with 60 matches played in the U.S.

FIFA representatives visited in September 2021, meeting with Governor Phil Murphy and touring the 82,500-seat stadium in East Rutherford, along with other sites designated as practice facilities.

This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy against official sources.

Produced with AI assistance and reviewed against source records.