EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — As the FIFA World Cup unfolds across North America, fans attending matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford have found an unconventional gathering spot: the American Dream megamall. Connected to the stadium by an elevated walkway, the mall has emerged as a central social hub amidst a setting that some spectators view as isolated and lacking the traditional local flavor often associated with major soccer venues.
MetLife Stadium, hosting eight World Cup matches—including the final—has been described by some as a remote facility, surrounded by highways, swampland, and expansive parking lots, absent the vibrant urban surroundings common to stadiums like Estadio Azteca in Mexico City or Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. Unlike these historic stadiums, whose neighborhoods pulse with pre- and post-game activity, MetLife stands apart in a more suburban and commercial landscape.
In response, many fans have turned to the American Dream mall—one of the largest in the United States with more than three million square feet, hundreds of stores, eateries, and attractions such as an indoor ski slope, water park, roller coasters, and a go-kart track—as an alternative space for gathering before and after games. This month, the air-conditioned venue has effectively become the main public congregation area accessible on foot from the stadium, aside from designated official fan zones.
Visitors from around the world expressed a mixture of amusement and appreciation for the mall’s unusual role in this context. Benjamin Klevge, a French fan, wandered through the mall snapping pictures in front of a 60-foot Statue of Liberty replica made of jelly beans and an indoor water park, describing the experience as “beautiful.” Dawda Daye, a Senegalese supporter from Houston, acknowledged the novelty: “It’s kind of confusing. We’re just in a mall... but it’s convenient, and everyone seems to be enjoying it.”
Inside the mall, the atmosphere closely mimicked the lively energy of a traditional soccer support environment, albeit with an unconventional backdrop. Fans participated in activities such as juggling soccer balls, drum performances, and cheering in a makeshift beer garden set up near a large screen displaying live footage of the crowd itself. The convergence of international supporters created moments of camaraderie, underscored by shared enthusiasm despite the setting's atypical nature.
While many stadiums in this World Cup have permitted tailgating, MetLife Stadium prohibits the practice, further increasing the mall's importance as a gathering place. Carlos Orbe from Tampa, Florida, and his fiancée Julia Szenberg decided to avoid the stadium entirely and instead joined a group of fans in the mall’s indoor parking garage, sharing drinks and the company of strangers turned temporary “family.”
For some, the American Dream mall’s role in the tournament highlights a distinctly American approach to fan experience—one focused on entertainment, convenience, and expansive commercial offerings rather than traditional street-level festivities associated with the sport. Fans like Benoit Berthier, a French expatriate working in Montreal, reflected on the contrast by noting, “If you have one thing you know how to do in America, it’s entertain.”
As the tournament progresses, the mall continues to serve as a focal point for fans seeking community and celebration in an environment far removed from the typical soccer stadium precinct, illustrating the diverse ways supporters adapt to the unique contexts of each host city.