World Cup 'Flag City' Events Slated For Bergen County, Jersey City, Newark, Meadowlands

NORTH JERSEY —A host of World Cup soccer-related fan events will take place in North Jersey — including in Jersey City, Newark, Bergen County, and the Meadowlands region — this June and July, with live music, food, and more, officials announced Wednesday.

The "Goya Presents Flag Cities" events will replace the original fan events that were initially scheduled just for Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

Events will take place at county parks, including Bergen County's Overpeck Park and Secaucus' Laurel Hill Park, as well as neighborhoods and downtowns.

"A lot of people in Jersey City were feeling left out by that [original] plan," noted Jersey City Mayor James Solomon on Wednesday morning. Instead, he said, the city will host a large kickoff event on June 12 in the "heart of downtown" (see the early event list below).

Gov. Mikie Sherrill's office said last month that they would budget $5 million for fan events in neighborhoods around the state and be more accessible, rather than in one place.

Solomon noted Wednesday that a regional partnership means officials will be sending a message: "Don't just go to Jersey City; go to Newark, go to Laurel Hill Park [in Secaucus], go to Bergenline.No matter what New York says, we are the hosts of the World Cup, and we couldn't be more excited to showcase values to the world."

Goya Foods (based in Jersey City), NJ Transit, and other agencies, companies, and charities will be involved in the events. Table to Table will serve as the "official food security partner," educating attendees and allowing food contributions to the needy.

Initial Event Lineup

Preliminary events are scheduled for:

• June 12 – Christopher Columbus Drive, Jersey City waterfront
• June 14 – Overpeck Park, Bergen County
• June 21 – Laurel Hill Park, Secaucus
• June 24 – Mulberry Plaza, Newark
• June 26 – The Rutherford’s: East Rutherford and Rutherford Downtown

Each "Goya Presents Flag Cities" event will feature:

• Live broadcast of World Cup games on large scale LED screens
• Food trucks, international cuisine, and beverage vendors
• Beer garden and VIP lounge
• Live headline entertainment, DJs, and community performances
• Kids’ zones with family-friendly activities
• Shopping vendors, soccer gear, and local crafts
• Soccer-themed games and immersive fan experiences
• Embassy and cultural activations
• Flag installations, town-wide decorations, and pep rallies.

How And When To Get Tickets

The FIFA World Cup international soccer championships will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford — and several other locations around the country — starting June 11.

Eight matches will take place at the stadium through July.

A new website has been started for the Flag Cities events, and tickets will be on sale starting in early April, officials said. The original tickets were offered as low as $13 a piece.

An entertainment lineup will also be announced soon.

See new website here.

Fan events in other states are here.