Meadowlands Sports Complex

Lore & Background

In the mid-1960s, civic leaders in New Jersey began calling for a sports complex in the Meadowlands to lure an NFL team from New York City. The NJSEA Law was passed in 1971 and signed by Governor William T. Cahill. The first NJSEA chairman was David A. 'Sonny' Werblin, former president of the New York Jets. By year's end, Werblin secured a deal for the New York Giants, then playing at Yankee Stadium, to move to the Meadowlands. Ground was broken on Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack on November 19, 1972. The Meadowlands Racetrack opened on September 1, 1976, and Giants Stadium opened on October 10, 1976, with the Giants losing to the Dallas Cowboys 24–14. Brendan Byrne Arena opened July 2, 1981, and was later renamed Continental Airlines Arena and then Izod Center. The New York Jets moved to Giants Stadium on September 6, 1984. Giants Stadium closed after the 2009 NFL season, and MetLife Stadium opened in September 2010. MetLife Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 and matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the final.

In Their Own Story

The sun dipped below the horizon over East Rutherford, casting long shadows across the parking lot where tailgates had already begun to glow with lantern light. A father adjusted his son's helmet, pointing toward the illuminated twin towers of MetLife Stadium rising against the twilight sky. Inside, the gridiron was bathed in floodlights, the white yard lines crisp and waiting for the clash of pads. The air smelled of charcoal and anticipation as Giant Nation gathered, ready to witness another chapter written on this hallowed turf where history had been made since 1976.

Reader's Guide

The complex includes MetLife Stadium (home of the Giants and Jets), the Meadowlands Racetrack (hosting harness racing and the Hambletonian Stakes), the Quest Diagnostics Training Center (Giants' practice facility), American Dream (retail and entertainment venue, formerly home to the Metropolitan Riveters), and the now-closed Meadowlands Arena (formerly home to the New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall men's basketball, and the New Jersey Nets). The NJSEA hires in-house security and EMS; law enforcement is primarily provided by the New Jersey State Police Sports Complex Unit. The parking lot hosts State Fair Meadowlands and a twice-weekly flea market.

Did You Know?

• The Meadowlands Racetrack opened on September 1, 1976, drawing a capacity crowd of 42,133 for its first harness race.
• Giants Stadium opened on October 10, 1976, with 76,042 fans watching the Giants lose to the Dallas Cowboys 24–14.
• The New York Jets played their first game at Giants Stadium on September 6, 1984, losing 23–17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• MetLife Stadium hosted the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Giants Stadium did not host matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.