Assahafa.com
New Jersey will host four national teams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Morocco and Haiti joining Brazil and Senegal in selecting training facilities across the state.
Morocco, semi‑finalists at Qatar 2022, will train at Pingry School. The site carries history, having hosted Italy during the 1994 World Cup.
As the Atlas Lions prepare for their seventh World Cup appearance, returning to a base with tradition adds symbolic weight to their quest to outshine their 2022 heroics in Qatar.
The 2025 AFCON winners will play all three of their group‑stage matches in the United States.
They open their campaign against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, before facing Scotland on June 19 at Gillette Stadium in Boston.
Their final group match comes on June 24 against Haiti at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Choosing New Jersey as their base keeps Morocco close to their opening venue and within easy travel distance along the East Coast, offering logistical convenience and continuity throughout the group stage.
Brazil will set up camp at the Columbia Park Training Center in Morris Township, the home of MLS side New York Red Bulls.
The 80‑acre site has recently undergone a $100 million upgrade. Brazil will also play group matches at MetLife Stadium in Philadelphia and in Miami, making the location practical for their schedule.
Haiti will train at Stockton University in Galloway, near Atlantic City. The campus previously welcomed Flamengo during the FIFA Club World Cup.
Senegal, the AFCON runner‑up, will use Rutgers University as their training base. The team will play two group‑stage matches at MetLife Stadium, against France on June 16 and Norway on June 22.
Local Context
The World Cup final will also be staged at MetLife Stadium on July 19, placing New Jersey at the heart of the tournament.
The announcement comes after weeks of tension between FIFA and local authorities over NJ Transit’s decision to raise train fares to $150 for return trips from New York Penn Station to MetLife.
Governor Mikie Sherrill refused to pass the $48 million transport cost onto taxpayers, citing FIFA’s projected $11 billion revenue.
Despite the dispute, Sherrill welcomed the teams, saying New Jersey is “excited to welcome the world” and proud to host four national squads. She stressed the economic boost and cultural impact of having Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, and Senegal based in the Garden State.
With Morocco among the teams choosing New Jersey, the region is one of the most in‑demand training hubs of the World Cup, rivaled only by Kansas City.
Source: Morocco word news
