American Football in New York

There are few experiences in this city that will make you feel as American as watching a Giants game. Here's how to get the best NFL tickets in New York.

Isabel Catalán

Isabel Catalán

9 min read

American Football in New York

Image of the Giants' field in New York. | ©Met Stadium

Have you ever experienced the craziness and excitement that soccer brings to New York? Attending an NFL game is one of the most exciting experiences you can have during a trip to the city.

The two most important soccer teams in the city are the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Get your ticket and get ready to enjoy the most popular sport in the United States live and in style, you will have a great time!

Tickets for the New York Giants, a historical team

Inside the stadium| ©Adrian Curiel
Inside the stadium| ©Adrian Curiel

Founded in 1925, the New York Giants are the American soccer team based in the New York metropolitan area. They belong to the Eastern Division of the NFC (National Football Conference) and throughout their history they have won 8 NFL titles: four in the pre-Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and four more after the advent of the Super Bowl (XXII in 1986, XXV in 1990, XLII in 2007 and XLVI in 2011).

The New York Giants face in the most passionate classics against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, their legendary rivals.

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Tickets for the New York Jets, another of NYC's greats

Jets Stadium| ©Izaac Crayton
Jets Stadium| ©Izaac Crayton

Founded in 1959, the New York Jets compete in the Eastern Division of the AFC (American Conference) of the NFL. Since the 1960s, the team has not reached the Super Bowl and is one of only three National Football League teams to have won only one Super Bowl in its history, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.

The Jets' most iconic stadium-shaking opponents are the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

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Where to watch an NFL game in New York City

Giants at MetLife Stadium|©Sarah
Giants at MetLife Stadium|©Sarah

Both the Giants and Jets share the same stadium. 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 get to the stadium by public transportation by taking the Coach USA Bus Service 's Meadowlands Express 351 bus service from Port Authority to MetLife Stadium on game days and get there in just 30 minutes. To get your bus tickets, you must go directly to the Coach USA ticket office.

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Where to buy tickets to watch the NFL in New York?

The stadium entrance| ©Izaac Crayton
The stadium entrance| ©Izaac Crayton

The best way to get your NFL tickets and enjoy a great American soccer game is through the Internet, because going to the MetLife Stadium to try your luck if there are tickets shortly before the games is not very advisable.

You can buy your tickets online at Hellotickets website, both for the New York Jets and New York Giants.

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How much do NFL soccer tickets in New York cost?

At the stadium| ©Izaac Crayton
At the stadium| ©Izaac Crayton

The price of a ticket for an NFL game in New York varies from 20 euros to 1500 euros. This difference will depend on several factors:

  • The teams facing each other
  • The place chosen in the stadium
  • The time of the season at which the game is played
  • How far in advance you buy your tickets

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How to buy NFL tickets in New York?

The Giants helmet
The Giants helmet

American soccer is the king of sports in the United States and tickets for the games are sold out months in advance. If during your getaway to New York you want to include a soccer game, I advise you to buy tickets online before you travel.

  • To go to a soccer game in New York the demand is high so it is usual that the tickets are sold out soon. The key is to buy them as soon as possible to get the best seat in the stadium at a cheaper price.
  • Since the American ticket market is dynamic, prices go up as the date of the game approaches and supply decreases (just like flights, for example). If you wait too long you run the risk of running out of tickets or having few tickets at a high price and in sectors with less spectacular visibility.
  • In addition, when you buy soccer tickets online you can choose the place you like the most. In my opinion, this is the fastest, easiest and safest option.
  • Buying soccer tickets at the box office means that you will have to do it when you are in New York, so you will have to adapt to the opening hours of the ticket window, go to the stadium and wait in a very long queue to buy them.
  • Getting your soccer tickets at the box office will be months later than when you could have bought them at home. So there will be far fewer tickets left and perhaps at an unreasonable price. Or they will be sold out directly due to the high demand that the NFL has.

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Which place to choose in the stadium?

Inside the stadium| ©Wikimedia
Inside the stadium| ©Wikimedia

MetLife Stadium is a new and large stadium. In general, there are no bad locations inside the stadium and you will be able to feel the atmosphere and the excitement of the sport in any sector of the stadium. However, when choosing a good place in the stadium, the idea is to get a balance between a good place and the budget you have.

If you really like American soccer and want to watch the plays and players up close, I recommend that you invest a little more money to get good seats. The experience is worth it!

In any case, if you have doubts about the visibility of each sector, when you buy soccer tickets online you will see on screen a photo with the exact views from each seat so you know what to expect from each location. Ultimately, the price of NFL tickets depends on how close you are to the field.

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What is the NFL soccer season like in New York?

Inside the stadium| ©Adrian Curiel
Inside the stadium| ©Adrian Curiel

One of the things that sets the NFL apart from other major U S. competitions is the apparent equality among its 32 teams. That is, all teams have a real chance of winning, which makes the NFL even more exciting.

If you are wondering how the soccer season works, you should know that the 32 teams that participate in the National Football League are divided into two different conferences called NFC (National Football Conference) and AFC (American Football Conference), which are made up of 16 teams each.

Throughout the year there are many key dates in the soccer calendar that you should keep in mind:

Training Camps (late July)

Before the start of the preseason games, NFL teams concentrate at various American universities for a few weeks to train and prepare for the first friendly games.

Preseason (August)

The preseason takes place in August and NFL teams play between five and eight friendly games before the start of the season as such. Soccer tickets are usually cheaper for these games.

Regular Season (September - December)

The NFL regular season has a 17-week schedule with a total of 256 games against same-division opponents, as well as several interdivisional and interconference games. During the regular season you should mark several important dates on the calendar:

  • Thanksgiving (November 22): the NFL schedules 3 games for this very important holiday in the United States.
  • Christmas Eve and Christmas (December 24-25): if these holidays fall on a weekend or Monday, the NFL usually schedules some games during Christmas.
  • The NFL All Star: also known as the Pro Bowl, this is a game held at the end of January where the NFL brings together the best players from the NFC and AFC selected by the fans to form the American soccer dream team.

The NFL Playoffs (early January - early February)

After the regular-season games, the top two teams from each conference qualify directly for the Divisional Round Games, where they face the four winners of the Wild Card Playoff Round. From the Conference Championship Games, the winner of which will play in the Super Bowl.

At this stage of the competition, the teams play each other in the playoffs and only the best teams remain. The games become even more exciting and the price of soccer tickets for the NFL Playoffs goes up, but the spectacle is totally worth it.

The Super Bowl (February)

It's the game every team dreams of winning! In the Super Bowl, the champions of the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference face each other for the victory in a life-or-death duel. The whole country comes to a standstill to watch the sporting event of the year and it could be said that it is lived almost like a national holiday.

  • How long does the Super Bowl last: The final can last approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, a little longer than the regular games because this game has a great musical show at halftime that makes it last longer.

Naturally, soccer tickets for the Super Bowl are the most expensive of the season because everyone wants to be there and witness this great game, it's a unique experience!

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Game day is here!

At the stadium| ©Izaac Crayton
At the stadium| ©Izaac Crayton

When to go to the stadium?

MetLife Stadium is located in New Jersey, quite far from downtown New York, so on the day of the game I recommend that you arrive well in advance to avoid being late in case something unexpected happens on the bus ride to the stadium. At least an hour before kickoff.

Also, you will have some time to walk around, visit the team store, find the seats or buy some snacks. You will see the atmosphere before the game and how the stadium gradually fills up. A sensational moment is when the players take the field: the stadium roars and the fans welcome them like heroes!

Is it possible to eat inside the stadium?

Yes, inside MetLife Stadium there are many food carts selling sandwiches, pizza, sandwiches, tacos... there is a lot of variety although the prices are somewhat higher than outside.

However, you can also enter the stadium with food in clear plastic bags and bottles of water or soft drinks of 0.59 liters or less as long as they are factory sealed.

Is it possible to bring backpacks or cameras?

  • According to MetLife Stadium policy, each fan may enter the stadium with a clear bag measuring 30 x 15 x 30 cm or less. Also, small purses or clutches measuring 11.4 x 16.5 cm or less. All bags, purses and bags will be thoroughly inspected by the security team prior to entry.
  • Regarding cameras and video cameras, MetLife Stadium policy states that cameras with lenses larger than 6 inches are not permitted. Cameras with lenses 6 inches or smaller are allowed. Go Pro cameras are allowed as long as their use does not interfere with other spectators' enjoyment of the event.
  • No tripods, monopods or selfie sticks are allowed in the stadium.

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Useful information to watch the NFL

The logo on the stadium turf| ©Adrian Curiel
The logo on the stadium turf| ©Adrian Curiel

How long is an NFL game?

A soccer game can last almost 3 hours. If we talk about the Super Bowl, it can last 4 hours including the musical show.

Do children pay admission?

According to MetLife Stadium's access policy, children up to 34" (86.36 cm tall) can enter the stadium for free but must sit on the lap of an adult who has their own ticket. Also, MetLife Stadium does not allow strollers or diaper bags.

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What other sporting events are there in New York?

NBA Game| ©NBA
NBA Game| ©NBA

If you are passionate about sports and want to attend another event during your vacation in New York I recommend other options such as:

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