It’s hard to believe that MetLife Stadium ranks among the most expensive stadiums in the world, especially when you consider its poor playing surface, which many believe has shortened players’ careers, and the underwhelming atmosphere during home games. Yet, on paper, it’s worth $1.6 billion.
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As one of the newest stadiums in the country, it boasts features like exterior lighting, over 2,200 HD displays throughout the facility, and real-time concession sales tracking.
The New York Giants won’t return to MetLife until August. In the meantime, the venue will host FIFA Club World Cup matches and WWE SummerSlam.
Today, it welcomes two European football giants—Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund—for a Club World Cup quarterfinal at 4 p.m. A month later, WWE takes over for SummerSlam on August 2 and 3.
One can’t help but feel a little sorry for the athletes who have to fly into New Jersey just to play at MetLife. Fortunately, there’s one silver lining—they won’t have to play on the stadium’s notorious AstroTurf. Instead, they’ll get a temporary reprieve with a grass surface laid out specifically for these international events.
The stage has been set! Real Madrid will meet Borussia Dortmund this Saturday, July 5 at 4pm in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals.
: https://t.co/iNcO6PCSMw pic.twitter.com/xHtO0Ch5qC— MetLife Stadium (@MetLifeStadium) July 2, 2025
If either Real Madrid or Dortmund wins today, they’ll match the number of home wins the Giants recorded during the entire 2024 season—just one. Big Blue lost eight games at home and somehow managed to play better on the road.
So, when will the Giants finally return to MetLife? Not until August 16, when they’ll face off against the stadium’s other residents—the Jets—for their second preseason game of the 2025-26 campaign.
But maybe we shouldn’t single out MetLife. It’s not the only billion-dollar concrete box that lacks charm, character, and atmosphere. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, owned by the Falcons and Arthur Blank, and Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, owned by the Cowboys and Jerry Jones, fall into the same category—modern architectural marvels that feel cold and commercial rather than built for the fan experience.
