New Jersey’s biggest fair is going to be taking a back seat for the next two years, as soccer takes over the Meadowlands. The Meadowlands State Fair recently announced that it would not be operating for the next two years in wake of MetLife Stadium hosting the FIFA Club World Cup and World Cup. It is set to make a return in 2027.
The event typically runs from late June until the first week of July. Around this same time last year, it would be expected to kick off.
The fair features pig races, food, live music and games to keep all entertained. It serves as a perfect way to spend a summer day, though guests will have to be patient. The Meadowlands State Fair often features fireworks, as well.
In an Instagram post last week, the Meadowlands State Fair announced that it will be taking a short hiatus. The account wrote “FIFA World Cup soccer will take center stage at the Meadowlands in 2025 and 2026, so we’re hitting pause to dream bigger, build better, and bring you the most exciting State Fair yet.”
This summer, MetLife Stadium is hosting several games for the FIFA Club World Cup, including the final match. The tournament’s first game in the Meadowlands was on June 15 and the last will be on July 13.
Next year, the Meadowlands will be hosting an even bigger tournament in the FIFA World Cup. The first game will take place on June 13 and the last one, the World Cup Final, will be on July 19.
A significant amount of traffic is expected as a result of both of these tournaments, which has caused the Meadowlands State Fair to pause for the next two years. The fair is using this as an opportunity to improve and provide an even better experience for guests when it returns in 2027. In the meantime, the Meadowlands is keeping busy with soccer all summer long.