The FIFA World Cup is back on the pitch in the Meadowlands on Tuesday, June 16, after a 1-1 tie June 13 between Morocco and Brazil that kicked off the tournament’s stay in North Jersey.
France versus Senegal is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at MetLife Stadium – aka New York New Jersey Stadium, in East Rutherford. France is the current odds-on-favorite country to win it all. It claimed the title in 2018, and then lost in penalties to Argentina in the 2022 final.
We at NorthJersey.com and The Record are out there with you today, Tuesday, June 16, inside and outside the stadium.
Today's match is the first of this tournament on a weekday at MetLife, which means it will be more hectic navigating around train stations also filled with commuters trying to get home around the time the match ends.
Check back here throughout the day as we continue to bring you live coverage of this historic event:
Tuesday sees another hectic exit from MetLife Stadium
Although New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Tuesday that she had been in touch with the host committee and Uber about what went wrong after Saturday's match and what could be done to make the experience better, there will still some problems.
Though the match ended at about 5 p.m. there were still people having difficulty matching with drivers for rideshare services as of 7 p.m.
On social media, fans were complaining that 90 minutes after the match they were still waiting for the host committee bus with no shuttles in sight.
Nobody better in France team history
Kylian Mbappe is the greatest.
The proof came when the captain of France scored his second goal of the game in stoppage time in their 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opener at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
With the goal, Mbappe now stands alone as France's all-time leading goal scorer.
"People say he doesn’t defend enough. He’s not here to defend," French manager Didier Deschamps said of Mbappe.
"He’s got a global aura, a real talent," Deschamps continued on Mbappe. "… I’m very happy for him."
NBA champion Knicks players feel the love at MetLife
Knicks players Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby were shown on the big screens inside the stadium midway through the second half of the France vs. Senegal match.
The only louder sound (maybe) was for Kylian Mbappe and his two goals in France's 3-1 win over Senegal.
France takes control and wins
France 3, Senegal 1: Ibrahim Mbaye scored to get Senegal within one by catching the French goalie leaning the wrong way. While fans were celebrating, Kylian Mbappe got a roar from the French fans with his second goal, the final of the match.
"If he wants to miss the first half again and score the two goals in the second half, that’s OK with me," French manager Didier Deschamps said of Mbappe. "He knows what a World Cup is about. It can happen to him, or another player. He’s not a player who doubts his own abilities. He was crowned with success in the second half. Over the whole game, he could have scored four or five goals, theoretically. But we’re happy with two goals."
Bradley Barcola in the 82nd minute off a pass from Adrien Rabiot. He had subbed in just two minutes earlier.
Though the announced attendance of 80,545 for France-Senegal was nearly the same as for Saturday's opener between Brazil and Morocco, the crowd appeared more diverse Tuesday.
Aside from a cluster of blue jerseys behind the north goal and green ones in the southeast corner, it was difficult to determine allegiances.
Gooooooooooooooooalllll
France's captain Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring, giving France a 1-0 lead in the 66th minute. A lot of fans in blue jerseys began jumping around and waving le tricolor, particularly behind the north goal.
France's captain Kylianalso brought Aldo Schemelensky to the Dream Fan Fest in the American Dream mall before the match
"Mbappe is an idol for us. Mbappe is magic," Schemelensky, a local administrator in Mexico City, said in a mix of Spanish and English.
"We're Mexican, but today we're French too. Mexico is our favorite team, but France will win the World Cup."
Just to be here: 'It's a dream come true'
Thomas Sandrin said he'd waited 43 years to see the French national team play, and his son, Luca, waited for 11.
There are eight World Cup matches at the Meadowlands: three more from the group stage, two in the knockout round, and the June 19 final. After a possible detour to the New York Knicks' victory parade on June 18 in New York City, the Sandrins are driving up to Foxborough, Massachusetts, to see France play Norway on June 27.
"I'm just stunned," said Luca Sandrin, who cried tears of joy when his parents told him about the tickets. "It's a dream come true."
Game on
Ismaila Sarr of Senegal had a fabulous chance ... but his shot went over the goal, and now it's halftime.
An enthusiastic crowd supported the players and started "the wave" despite the lack of offense for both sides - 20 minutes in and neither had a shot on goal.
Famous faces started to show on social media, including the former star quarterback of MetLife Stadium, Eli Manning.
A packed stadium erupts as favorite France and Senegal kick off what is considered the best match of the first round at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on Tuesday afternoon.
Closing in on start of France vs. Senegal match
Inside of five minutes to go before the start, the players are walking onto the field, led by little kids. They're lining up next to their national flag and the much larger version spread out on the grass.
With 10 minutes to go before kickoff, massive flags of both countries have been spread out on the field, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 logo covering the center circle.
With the United States national anthem having been played at MetLife Stadium a little after 2 p.m., the players were on the field for warmups as of about 2:30 p.m.
France is wearing its traditional blue, with white shorts and red socks. Senegal is in yellow tops and green shorts.
Kylian Mbappe leads France lineup at MetLife
Kylian Mbappe is not just a top talent, but one of the top players in the world. And he's bringing his talents to the MetLife Stadium pitch as France opens its 2026 World Cup against Senegal in a Group I matchup June 16.
To see France's full lineup for the 3 p.m. game, go here.
NY Penn Station reopens as of 2 p.m.
NJ Transit announced it will reopen New York Penn Station at 2 p.m. for regular users and commuters, a full hour earlier than expected after it was partially shut down four hours in advance of Tuesday's 3 p.m. World Cup match.
Fans pack Penn Station to get to World Cup
Fans flocked to New York Penn Station to get to the game as they faced a busy scene.
"I never had to stop a block away to go through security, for Penn Station," New Yorker Greg Arp said. "I think that’s crazy but so far everything’s been well managed. ...This is my first game and I’m very excited.”
Plenty of NJ Transit employees, FIFA volunteers and NYPD officers filled the area to help manage the crowd. You didn't have to look far to find someone selling some World Cup merchandise nearby.
"New York is lit!" shouted one commuter as the fans made their way through.
FIFA volunteer Adin Giordano said it was a busy morning helping people navigate.
"There was a point when the line was so long that it went on for almost two streets," Giordano said.
Sherrill makes pitch for 'best way in and out of the stadium'
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Tuesday afternoon that she’s expecting at least 25,000 people to use New Jersey Transit to get to MetLife for the match. She noted that she thinks that number will keep going up because “it is the best way in and out of the stadium.”
She also said that her office has been in touch with Uber and the regional host committee about cars and shuttle buses leaving the match.
First Gentleman Jason Hedberg, a longtime commuter, will be taking the train out of New York Penn Station this evening.
Sherrill said she will get his “unvarnished opinion” of the experience afterward.
Fun facts about MetLife Stadium aka New York New Jersey Stadium (while you wait in line)
MetLife Stadium was built right next to the old Giants Stadium and officially opened in 2010 after about three years of construction. At the time, it cost $1.6 billion, which made it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built in the country
The stadium was originally called “New Meadowlands Stadium” during its first year before MetLife purchased the naming rights in 2011.
MetLife Stadium hosted the first ever outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2, 2014.
According to its website, MetLife Stadium has hosted more than 600 major events and 3,000 special events beyond the Super Bowl, including WrestleMania 29 and 35, the Copa América Centenario final, the 2021 Army-Navy Game, as well as concerts, college football games and international soccer matches.
Scene outside MetLife Stadium pregame
There’s a spirit of camaraderie outside the main gate hours before the game, with fans in different jerseys calling out to each other in French — a shared language between the two nations playing today.
Jhon Guerra posed for photos outside the stadium in a No. 10 France jersey, holding up a Venezuelan flag.
“Venezuela is not here, so France is my country,” he said in Spanish. “I like Mbappe, and Real Madrid is my team.”
Guerra and his friends, Jhon Rincon and William Vergara, were far from the only fans whose teams were not represented in Tuesday's match. There were many fans in bright yellow Colombian national team jerseys waiting to enter the stadium amidst the blue of France and Senegalese green.
Only people with tickets are being allowed to cross from American Dream mall and its parking garage to MetLife Stadium. The ramp leaves fans between a lineup of buses and the Meadowlands train station.
FIFA has assembled its own gated community in the MetLife Stadium parking lot, including a logistics pavilion, an air-conditioned media center, and at least a dozen other temporary structures.
Two small planes pulled banners circling the Meadowlands − one is for BetMGM and one for Dove Men.
Weather forecast for today’s France vs. Senegal World Cup match
Wear suntan lotion or a cap if you’re going to the game today.
Temperatures will reach a high of 79 for the 3 p.m. start of today’s game at MetLife Stadium between France and Senegal.
Temperatures will hover in the high 70s until about 10 p.m. when they drop to high 60s.
The day will be bright and sunny. Clouds are expected to move in later tonight. Winds will be between 5 to 8 mph until early evening when they become calmer.
Shuttle tickets sold out
As of 9:15 a.m., the host committee's 12,000 shuttle tickets are sold out and NJ Transit has sold more than 20,000 tickets for its World Cup train and bus shuttle to today's France v Senegal match at 3 p.m. NJ Transit will surpass Saturday's numbers − around 21,000 transported to and from the 6 p.m. match − but will it be enough to help relieve congestion around the stadium?
North Jersey city lets students out early over World Cup concerns
School's out early on June 16 in Jersey City due to concerns of traffic congestion in and around New Jersey's second largest city.
"Due to the scheduled FIFA match at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, and the projected extreme traffic congestion throughout the Jersey City and Meadowlands area, all district schools will observe an early dismissal," Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norma Fernandez said in a release.
A 12:45 p.m. dismissal of all students and teachers is "to ensure that all students are safely home and off the roads well before the peak influx of event-related traffic begins," Fernandez said.
Travel do's and don'ts at MetLife Stadium
There will be no spectator parking at the stadium on World Cup match days. Instead, officials are offering public transportation options for fans.
For those who haven’t booked travel plans for the France versus Senegal match by Tuesday morning, officials recommend buying a round trip ticket from NJ Transit.
The agency is selling 40,000 tickets per match day for stadium shuttles, a combination of trains and buses between Secaucus Junction and MetLife. However, shuttle tickets for the June 16 game are sold out.
The New York New Jersey Host Committee’s $20 shuttles of school buses and charter buses to the World Cup on Tuesday will transport 12,000 — tickets were already sold out by noon on Monday, June 15.
Rideshare? Even Uber is advising people to use rideshare as a last resort. Consider booking Uber vans or other private shuttles that are operating at American Dream’s lots.
For more transportation tips, check here.
No matter what mode of transit you choose to get to the stadium, give yourself extra time and expect to walk a lot. And get there early! That can’t be emphasized enough.
Who’s playing today in the World Cup game at MetLife?
France versus Senegal is one of eight matches MetLife will host throughout the tournament, which includes five group stage games, one Round of 32 match, one Round of 16 match and the final on July 19.
France, which is one of the best squads in the 48-team World Cup field, features star Ousmane Dembélé, a striker from Paris-St. Germain who won the Ballon d'Or as the best player in the 2024-25 season. Key teammates include Kylian Mbappe (striker from Real Madrid), William Saliba (defender from Arsenal), and Michael Olise (midfielder from Bayern Munich).
French manager Didier Deschamps also announced that this will be his last World Cup after winning one as a player in 1998 and a coach in 2018.
Senegal should remain competitive in this game despite France’s advantage. Senegal is led by Sadio Mané (midfielder from Al-Nassr), Amara Diouf (left wing from Génération Foot), and team captain Kalidou Koulibaly (defender from Al-Hilal).
Senegal defeated Morocco in the final of the African Cup of Nations in January, but had its title stripped after players left the field in protest of a late penalty kick.
Continue to check here for updated info and action tied to the World Cup.
NJ Transit expects heavy ridership
New Jersey Transit alerted commuters that heavier ridership is expected than usual due to the match.
"If you're traveling today, be sure to check matchday schedules before you go," NJ Transit stated.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said that NJ Transit is the best way to and from the stadium for the match, and advised people to buy tickets in advance on the NJ Transit app.
Staff writers Katie Sobko, Albina Sportelli, Albert Bainbridge IV, Colleen Wilson, Noah Nussbaum, Manahil Ahmad, Dave Rivera and Kyle Morel contributed to this article
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Source: NorthJersey.com
