New Jersey Adds World Cup Fan Festivals in Newark and Jersey City

The traveling events will bring the global soccer celebration to multiple locations across the state.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 11:52pm

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After plans were scrapped for a centralized FIFA 'fan fest' in Liberty State Park, New Jersey has announced a new series of traveling World Cup fan festivals that will take place in Newark, Jersey City, Secaucus, East Rutherford, Rutherford, and Bergen County. The events will feature large-screen broadcasts of matches, international food and drinks, live music, kids' activities, and other immersive fan experiences.

Why it matters

With the cancellation of the originally planned centralized fan fest, this new traveling festival series provides more opportunities for New Jersey soccer fans to come together and celebrate the World Cup across multiple locations in the state. The events aim to capture the global spirit of the tournament while also highlighting local culture, cuisine, and community.

The details

The Goya Presents Flag Cities fan festival series will make stops in Newark, Jersey City, Secaucus, East Rutherford, Rutherford, and Bergen County on select dates during the 2026 World Cup group stage matches. Each location will feature large LED screens broadcasting the games, food trucks and beverage vendors, beer gardens, live entertainment, kids' zones, shopping vendors, and other interactive fan experiences.

  • The festival series will kick off on Friday, June 12 in Jersey City.
  • Additional stops include Overpeck Park in Bergen County on June 14, Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus on June 21, Mulberry Plaza in Newark on June 24, and the Rutherford downtown area on June 26.

The players

Mikie Sherrill

The Governor of New Jersey who previously canceled plans for a centralized 'fan fest' in Liberty State Park.

Goya

The presenting sponsor of the Flag Cities fan festival series.

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What’s next

Tickets for the Goya Presents Flag Cities fan festival series will go on sale at the end of March.

The takeaway

By pivoting from a centralized fan fest to a traveling series of events, New Jersey is ensuring that the global excitement of the World Cup can be experienced by fans in multiple communities across the state, fostering a sense of unity and shared passion for the beautiful game.