The Port Authority of NY and NJ (PANYNJ) General Manager Teresa Rizzuto released a memorandum to the JFK International Airport Community on June 8, 2026, regarding the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Eight games, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, will all take place in East Rutherford at MetLife Stadium, temporarily rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium due to FIFA’s strict corporate sponsorship rules, and include the following matches:
- June 13, 2026 – Brazil v. Morocco
- June 16, 2026 – France v. Senegal
- June 22, 2026 – Norway v. Senegal
- June 25, 2026 – Ecuador v. Germany
- June 27, 2026 – Panama v. England
- June 30, 2026 – Round of 32
- July 5, 2026 – Round of 16
- July 19, 2026 – World Cup Final
The PANYNJ is committed to providing world-class customer service to all passengers. Airport Customer Experience Specialists (ACES) have received training on how to guide and assist customers arriving for the FIFA World Cup (i.e., ground transportation to the stadium and fan zone information). Additionally, PANYNJ staff will be present across the terminals to provide added passenger support during peak periods.
Throughout the tournament, the JFK Airport Operations Center (JFK AOC) will monitor terminal passenger activity and all flight activity related to the FIFA World Cup, in coordination with the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD).
FIFA Leadership will brief the JFK Airport Community on the Daily Airport Community Call (DACC) at 0930L each day, and FIFA Duty Managers will be on shift for the duration of the tournament. During this period, the airport will already be experiencing high passenger volumes due to the summer travel peak.
Although coordination with FIFA, terminal operators, federal partners, and airlines has yielded a robust plan to minimize the impacts on our airports, PANYNJ acknowledges that some incoming activity remains unknown. There may be instances when you receive information about FIFA World Cup passengers, fans, or flight activity before the PANYNJ. Therefore, please notify PANYNJ (via email at jfkfwc26@panynj.gov) of any circumstances that may reasonably relate to the FIFA World Cup 2026, including:
- Scheduled charter flights
- Expected flight activity that includes large groups (i.e., supporters, fans)
- Requests for additional gate space
- Aircraft up-gauging on scheduled routes
- Flights with high-profile passengers
- Additional ground transportation routes/operations (i.e., airport pickups, shuttles to the stadium)
There will be FIFA World Cup-branded vehicles throughout the airport over the course of the tournament. These vehicles are authorized to use the Free Wait Lot for staging and the dedicated load/unload zones at each terminal, as coordinated with each Terminal Operator. If you see these vehicles in unauthorized areas, please escalate to the JFKAOC.
Additionally, uniformed and badged FIFA staff will be present in the terminals coordinating VIP movements and escorts. Below are examples of FIFA staff uniforms and FIFA World Cup 2026-branded vehicles.
During this period, information sharing within the Airport Community is crucial for minimizing operational impacts.
