American Dream is turning its 3 million-square-foot complex in the Meadowlands into an unofficial commercial and hospitality hub for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, with parking, fan events and private gatherings built around the eight matches at MetLife Stadium.
The New Jersey property will be FIFA’s primary parking solution for general ticket holders, and its owner says the mall expects about 2 million people to pass through during the 39-day tournament. The complex, owned by Triple Five Group, has also lined up an unofficial Dream Fan Fest and private events throughout the competition.
FIFA has partnered with American Dream to sell a limited amount of general parking through JustPark. A spot costs $225 for the five group games and one Round of 32 match, and $300 for a Round of 16 match. Parking for the Final has not yet been made available, and Gregg Schwartz said the available spaces are in the thousands.
The setup gives American Dream a rare use case that fits its location. Its parking lots connect directly to the MetLife Stadium grounds by two pedestrian bridges over Route 120, and the mall already has 11 full-service restaurants, more than 250 retailers and attractions including an indoor ski slope, a water park, blacklight mini golf and a Ferris wheel. Adam Petrick said the appeal to brands and companies is simple: “We have the advantage of being right across the street, a great place to convene in that climate-controlled, temperature-controlled, comfortable space.” He added, “That’s what we’ve been hearing the most from brands and companies that want to come work here.”
The opportunity also reflects how much the World Cup has shifted the local map. The regional host committee is steering fans toward public transit, FIFA’s security perimeter will restrict on-site parking to VIPs and patrons with disabilities and will prohibit tailgating, and the region’s primary FIFA Fan Festival at Liberty State Park was canceled. That leaves American Dream, which opened in 2019, with the biggest commercial opening it has had since day one.
Not every part of the business is sold out. Its 11 exterior screens facing Route 3 and the stadium have been booked for months, but ad inventory inside the complex remains open, along with pop-up retail space and traditional retail space. The five-week Dream Fan Fest is set to include youth sports clinics, live broadcasts, concerts, brand activations, water park parties and small business vendor villages, giving American Dream a way to turn passing traffic into something closer to a destination. For the mall, the answer to what the World Cup means is already taking shape: the tournament is not just bringing fans past the doors, it is pulling them inside them.
