New Jersey's Phil Murphy: Club World Cup is 'huge success.' World Cup will transform sport

USA Today

8 hours ago

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy believes the FIFA Club World Cup will be remembered as a 'huge success' and will only set the stage for a memorable World Cup in 2026.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, has hosted five Club World Cup group-stage matches, which averaged about 35,000-40,000 fans with 'incredible energy,' Murphy said.
The venue will host a quarterfinal on July 5, semifinal matches on July 8 and 9, and the Club World Cup final on July 13.
Next year's FIFA World Cup final will also be played at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026 – which Murphy believes will be epic.
'It will be the most watched event in human history,' Murphy told USA TODAY Sports in an interview on July 1.
NJ governor thrilled about huge World Cup role
Murphy is a big soccer fan. He played as a child – 'not well,' he adds. He was on the board of the U.S. Soccer Federation, and he's a founding owner of Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League. He played a crucial role in helping the New York/New Jersey effort in landing Club World Cup and World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium.
'We're huge soccer fans and we love the sport – the beautiful game – and we're thrilled to be playing a meaningful role both this year and next year,' Murphy said.
Murphy credited FIFA president Gianni Infantino, MetLife Stadium operators, and the owners of the Jets (Woody Johnson) and Giants (The Mara and Tisch families) for being 'extraordinary supporters' during the Club World Cup.
He was tuned into the June 30 match in Orlando, which saw Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal eliminate English Premier League standouts Manchester City 4-3 in the Round of 16, noting 'the level of soccer and the passion.'
'Anytime you do something for the first time, you're on a learning curve. But I think it's been a terrific idea,' Murphy said of the first Club World Cup to feature 32 teams and hosted in the U.S. this summer. 'I think this is going to be looked at as a huge success.'
Murphy has attended the five Club World Cup matches already played at MetLife Stadium and praised the fans from the six different clubs that have played in the venue.
The noise made by Brazilian clubs Palmeiras and Fluminense, Egyptian side Al Ahly, Portuguese club Porto, German standouts Borussia Dortmund and South Korean club Ulsan HD FC even eclipsed the noise made by fans attending NFL games featuring the New York Giants and Jets, Murphy said.
'We regularly attend Giants or Jets football games there with 70,000 to 80,000, and the decibel levels from about half that amount (of people) were about 10 times (more). And I'm literally not kidding – 10 times, what they are at a normal game there,' Murphy said with a laugh. 'They were great matches with lots of great spirit.'
'Just incredible passion,' he added. 'And when they're traveling into the region, there's a big economic boom to the region, and most notably, to New Jersey. It's part of the driving reason we wanted to host as many matches as we are. This is a really good few weeks for Jersey and for the region.'
Club World Cup success and next summer's World Cup
Murphy says he measures successful events at MetLife Stadium in three dimensions: Was it safe? Was your transportation to and from a good experience? And how was the fan experience inside the stadium?
'All three metrics feel really good,' Murphy said.
'The boxes that we care most about, we've been able to check across the board. And I'm confident we'll continue to do so for the balance of this tournament, and obviously, most importantly, for the World Cup next year.'
MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches next summer: five in the Group Stage, one in the Round of 32, one in the Round of 16, and the Final.
Along with his excitement for next year's event, Murphy believes the Club World Cup and World Cup will play crucial roles for the future of soccer fandom in the United States.
Murphy believes both tournaments will leave their own legacies behind, similar to how the 1994 World Cup birthed Major League Soccer's inception in 1996 and increased awareness of the sport over the last 30 years.
'You're going to see a similar quantum leap in the popularity and participation of soccer in America, and certainly in our region,' Murphy said. 'This will take us to another level heretofore not seen. It's what comes, what it leads to, that I think, is as if not more important than the actual event itself.'