More about: American Football in New York
Have you ever experienced the madness and electric atmosphere that American football creates in New York? Attending an NFL match is one of the most thrilling experiences you can have during a trip to the city.
The city’s two biggest American football teams are the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Get your ticket and get ready to enjoy the United States’ favourite sport live and in style. You’ll have a brilliant time!
How do I buy American football tickets?
American football is the number one sport in the United States and tickets for matches sell out months in advance. If you’d like to catch an American football match during your trip to New York, I’d advise you to buy your tickets before you travel. To do so, visit the Hellotickets website to see the full range of options. Also, bear in mind the following tips:
- Demand for American football matches in New York is high, so tickets usually sell out quickly. The key is to buy them as early as possible to secure the best seats in the stadium at a lower price.
- As the American ticket market is dynamic, prices rise as the match date approaches and availability decreases (just like with flights, for example). If you wait too long, you run the risk of tickets selling out or only finding a few left at a high price and in sections with less spectacular views.
- What’s more, when you buy American football tickets online, you can choose your preferred seat yourself. In my opinion, this is the quickest, easiest and safest option.
- Buying American football tickets at the box office means you’ll have to do so whilst you’re in New York, which means you’ll have to work around the box office opening hours, make your way to the stadium and wait in a very long queue to buy them.
- If you buy American football tickets at the box office, you’ll be doing so months later than if you’d bought them from home. Consequently, there will be far fewer seats available, and they may be at an exorbitant price. Or they may have sold out completely due to the high demand for NFL tickets.
Tickets for the New York Giants
The New York Giants play their home games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford (New Jersey), around 30 minutes from Manhattan. With a capacity of over 82,000, it is one of the NFL’s iconic stadiums. Buying New York Giants tickets in advance usually gives you access to better seats and prices.
Key New York Giants fixtures
If you’re travelling to New York and want to experience the NFL, check the Giants’ fixture list and pay particular attention to these matches:
NFC East divisional fixtures:
- Dallas Cowboys: one of the NFL’s most historic rivalries and one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of every season.
- Philadelphia Eagles: an Eastern Conference classic, usually intense and with a great atmosphere in the stands.
- Washington Commanders: a key divisional clash, especially if both teams are still in contention for a play-off spot.
Notable NFC rivals:
- San Francisco 49ers: one of the conference’s most competitive teams in recent years.
- Arizona Cardinals: an NFC West rival and an exciting fixture showcasing a very physical conference.
- Detroit Lions: a tough fixture against one of the NFC’s strongest sides.
Inter-conference fixtures against the AFC South:
- Tennessee Titans
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Indianapolis Colts
For those wanting to watch the Giants in New York, the standout fixtures at MetLife Stadium on the 2026 calendar are against the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Tickets for the New York Jets
Like the Giants, the New York Jets play at MetLife Stadium. We recommend buying tickets for the Jets as soon as possible to ensure availability.
Key New York Jets fixtures
Check the Jets’ fixture list and make a note of these standout fixtures at MetLife:
-
AFC East Division matches in New York:
- Miami Dolphins (a fiercely contested divisional derby)
- Buffalo Bills (a direct divisional rival and one of the most important matches on the calendar)
- New England Patriots (a classic divisional clash against an NFL legend)
-
Conference rivals (AFC) in New York:
- Cleveland Browns (AFC rival and an intriguing fixture on the home schedule)
- Las Vegas Raiders (inter-conference clash against an AFC West side)
- Denver Broncos (AFC West rival at MetLife Stadium)
-
Inter-conference fixtures (NFC) in New York:
- Green Bay Packers (a legendary franchise and one of the most appealing fixtures for visiting fans)
- Minnesota Vikings (an inter-conference clash against an exciting NFC rival)
Where can you watch an NFL match in New York?
Both the Giants and the Jets share the same stadium. They both play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford (New Jersey), located just 30 minutes west of Manhattan.
- Where?: 1 MetLife Stadium Dr, East Rutherford, NJ 07073, United States.
- How to get there: You can travel to the stadium by public transport by taking the Meadowlands Express 351 bus service operated by Coach USA Bus Service, which departs from Port Authority for MetLife Stadium on match days and takes approximately 30 minutes to get there. To purchase your bus tickets, you must go directly to the Coach USA ticket offices.
Where can I buy tickets to watch the NFL in New York?
The best way to get your NFL tickets and enjoy a cracking American football match is online, as heading to MetLife Stadium to try your luck at finding tickets shortly before the match isn’t really advisable.
You can buy your tickets online via the Hellotickets website, for both the New York Jets and the New York Giants.
How much do NFL American football tickets cost in New York?
The price of a ticket for an NFL match in New York ranges from €20 to €1,500. This varies depending on several factors:
- The teams playing.
- The seat location in the stadium.
- The time of the season when the match is played.
- How far in advance you buy your tickets.
Which seat should you choose in the stadium?
MetLife Stadium is a large, new venue. Generally speaking, there are no bad seats in the stadium and, wherever you sit, you’ll be able to soak up the atmosphere and excitement that this sport generates. However, when it comes to choosing a good seat in the stadium, the aim is to strike a balance between a good seat and your budget.
If you’re a big American football fan and want to watch the plays and the players up close, I’d recommend spending a little extra to get some good seats. It’s well worth the experience!
In any case, if you have any doubts about the view from each section, when you buy your American football tickets online you’ll see a photo on screen showing the exact view from each seat, so you’ll know what to expect from each seat. Ultimately, the price of NFL tickets depends on how close you are to the pitch.
What’s the NFL season like in New York?
One of the things that sets the American football league apart from other major competitions in the United States is the apparent parity among its 32 teams. In other words, every team has a genuine chance of winning, which makes the NFL even more exciting.
If you’re wondering how the American football season works, you should know, to begin with, that these 32 teams participating in the National Football League are divided into two different conferences called the NFC (National Football Conference) and the AFC (American Football Conference), each comprising 16 teams.
Throughout the year, there are many key dates in the American football calendar that you should bear in mind:
Training Camps (late July)
Before the pre-season matches begin, NFL teams gather at various American universities for a few weeks to train and prepare for their first friendly matches.
Pre-season (August)
The pre-season takes place in August, and NFL teams play between five and eight friendly matches before the season proper begins. American football tickets are usually cheaper for these matches.
Regular Season (September – January)
The NFL’s regular season currently spans 18 weeks, with a total of 272 matches. Each team plays 17 matches and has one week’s rest, facing opponents from their own division, as well as several inter-divisional and inter-conference fixtures. During the regular season, it’s worth marking several key dates in your calendar:
- Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November): the NFL traditionally schedules three matches for this major US holiday.
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (24–25 December): the NFL usually schedules a few matches around these dates, particularly when they fit well into the league’s weekly fixture list. It’s a great time to combine American football with the Christmas festivities in New York.
- The NFL All-Star Game: also known as the Pro Bowl Games, it takes place before the Super Bowl and brings together some of the best players from the AFC and NFC. In recent years, it has moved away from being a traditional contact game and now combines skills challenges with a flag football match.
The NFL Play-offs (January – early February)
After the regular season matches, the best teams from each conference qualify for the NFL Play-offs. Currently, a total of 14 teams qualify: 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. In each conference, the four division champions and three Wild Card teams qualify.
The first round is the Wild Card Round, in which six teams per conference compete. The top team in each conference – that is, the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the No. 1 seed in the NFC – has a bye in this round and qualifies directly for the Divisional Round. Next come the Conference Championship Games, from which the AFC and NFC champions emerge to face each other in the Super Bowl.
At this stage of the competition, teams give it their all in single-elimination matches, and only the best remain. The matches become even more thrilling, if that’s possible, and the price of American football tickets for the NFL Playoffs rises, but the spectacle is absolutely worth it.
The Super Bowl (February)
It’s the match every team dreams of winning! In the Super Bowl, the champions of the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference face off to claim victory in a decisive, single-match showdown. The whole country comes to a standstill to watch the sporting event of the year, and you could say it’s treated almost like a national holiday.
- How long does the Super Bowl last? The grand final can last approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes – slightly longer than regular matches – as this game features a major musical show at half-time, which extends the duration.
Naturally, Super Bowl tickets are the most expensive of the season because everyone wants to be there to witness this epic match. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Game day is here!
When should you head to the stadium?
MetLife Stadium is located in New Jersey, quite a long way from central New York, so on match day I’d recommend setting off well in advance to avoid being late in case of any unforeseen delays on the bus journey to the stadium. Allow at least an hour before kick-off.
What’s more, this will give you time to have a look around the area, visit the team shop, find your seats or buy a snack. You’ll get a feel for the atmosphere before the match and see how the stadium gradually fills up. A truly amazing moment is when the players take to the field: the stadium roars and the fans welcome them like true heroes!
Can you eat inside the stadium?
That’s right, inside MetLife Stadium there are plenty of food trolleys selling sandwiches, pizza, tacos… there’s plenty of choice, although prices are a bit higher than outside.
However, you can also bring food into the stadium in clear plastic bags, along with bottles of water or soft drinks of 0.59 litres or less, provided they are factory-sealed.
Can you bring rucksacks or cameras into the stadium?
- According to MetLife Stadium’s policy, each fan may enter the stadium with one transparent bag measuring 30 x 15 x 30 cm or less. Small handbags or clutches measuring 11.4 x 16.5 cm or less are also permitted. All bags, handbags and clutches will be thoroughly inspected by security staff before entry.
- As for cameras and video cameras, MetLife Stadium’s policy states that those with lenses longer than 6 inches are not permitted. Cameras with lenses 6 inches or shorter are permitted. GoPro cameras are also permitted, provided their use does not interfere with other spectators’ enjoyment of the event.
- Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are not permitted inside the stadium.
Useful information for watching the NFL
How long does an NFL match last?
An American football match can last almost 3 hours. The Super Bowl can last 4 hours, including the musical entertainment.
Do children have to pay for a ticket?
According to MetLife Stadium’s admission policy, children up to 34" (86.36 cm) in height can enter the stadium for free, but must sit on the lap of an adult who holds their own ticket. Furthermore, MetLife Stadium does not allow pushchairs or nappy bags into the stadium.
What other sporting events are there in New York?
If you’re a sports fan and want to attend another event during your holiday in New York, I’d recommend other options such as:
- The NBA: The season runs from early October through to June, culminating in the NBA Finals. In New York, you can watch the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets in action. In this post, I’ll explain in detail how to buy tickets to watch NBA matches in New York.
- The NHL: The ice hockey season runs from October to April. You can watch the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders play in the Big Apple.
- MLB: The baseball season runs from April to early November, culminating in the World Series. In New York, you can watch the New York Yankees and the New York Mets play. In this post, I’ll explain in detail how to buy tickets to watch MLB matches in New York.