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OT: FIFA flaunting facilities at Rutgers as 2026 World Cup base camp option

Fat Koko

Fat Koko

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FIFA added Rutgers to the base camp short list. Rutgers is the only base camp FIFA has listed within 100 miles of MetLife Stadium though FIFA is working to identify more locations.

The FIFA website shows off the Rutgers facilities. Click the link, then click "Training Site." Looks like it could be a compelling training spot for teams playing at MetLife.

A little surprising this news hasn't received more attention. Not even a word from Rutgers. Heck, the Rutgers athletics department busted out at least 10 press releases in the 48 hours following FIFA's Rutgers announcement, but made no mention of the 2026 World Cup during which New Jersey will host eight games including the final.
 
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I pity the team that gets Penn State lol. All these nice resorts and hotels and you get stuck in State College. The place is a ghost town in summer but then again it would be a great place for keeping the team focused on soccer and preparing.
 
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How’s is Rutgers the only base camp within 100 miles when the Red Bulls are right here?
So is the NY MLS team.
 
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e5fdny said:
Does the NY one even have their own facility yet?
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Yes. It’s in Orangeburg NY. Right by old tappan Also have a huge youth complex across the street with 4 soccer fields. But they are turf
 
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vkj91 said:
How’s is Rutgers the only base camp within 100 miles when the Red Bulls are right here?
So is the NY MLS team.
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Purely a guess, but I'd think that the MLS teams wouldn't want to give up their facilities for upwards of 6-8 weeks during their season...even with the league taking a break from games, teams would still be practicing and players working out every day during the break.
 
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Caliknight said:
Why would Rutgers promote the WC when we aren’t even a practice location yet?
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PSU_Nut said:
I pity the team that gets Penn State lol. All these nice resorts and hotels and you get stuck in State College. The place is a ghost town in summer but then again it would be a great place for keeping the team focused on soccer and preparing.
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e5fdny said:
Does the NY one even have their own facility yet?
Click to expand...
Big vote of confidence for Rutgers athletic department and sports facilities if an international soccer team selects Rutgers as its World Cup training base. This is Rutgers' opportunity to lose. Rutgers athletics desperately needs positive news. Here is a chance.

On why the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC haven't made their facilities available, this is good question. Seven MLS teams have offered their facilities to World Cup teams - FC Cincinnati, Atlanta United, FC Dallas, Sporting KC, Philadelphia Union, Seattle Sounders.

MetLife isn't the only World Cup stadium lacking nearby FIFA-approved training facilities. Gillette Stadium near Boston has none within 250 miles. Rutgers is closest. Yet Dallas has five base camp facilities approved by FIFA.

The teams get to select their base camp locations from the FIFA list. I doubt an international soccer team selects Penn State. The campus is located 200 miles from the Philadelphia World Cup stadium versus 65 miles for Rutgers.
 
Erial_Lion said:
Purely a guess, but I'd think that the MLS teams wouldn't want to give up their facilities for upwards of 6-8 weeks during their season...even with the league taking a break from games, teams would still be practicing and players working out every day during the break.
Click to expand...
And Rutgers soccer does?
Red Bulls have a new facility. As a owner I’d want to showcase it to international talent
 
Didn’t RU stadium host a friendly leading into the 1994 cup? I seem to remember Colombia being involved.
 
krup said:
Didn’t RU stadium host a friendly leading into the 1994 cup? I seem to remember Colombia being involved.
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Yurcak hosted friendly between US and Saudi Arabia a in May 1994 and US and Colombia played at Rutgers Stadium the next summer. I was at the Colombia game. Colombian soccer fans are super.
 
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Fat Koko said:
Yurcak hosted friendly between US and Saudi Arabia a in May 1994 and US and Colombia played at Rutgers Stadium the next summer. I was at the Colombia game. Colombian soccer fans are super.
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I was st the Colombia game as well. It makes sense that it wasn’t a preWC game because both teams were in the same WC group.
 
knightfan7 said:
Thought Ireland was involved or at least spent a bit of time training there.
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In 1994, Ireland spent a few days training at Drew before a Giants Stadium match.

The team chose Orlando as training base in 1994 so the players could get accustomed to US summer weather.

Ireland facilities factoid: In 2002, the team chose to train in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of the Japan World Cup. The training facilities were so terrible, Ireland's captain, Roy Keane - probably the country's best-ever player - humiliated the manager in front of the whole team. The manager then fired his own captain before the tournament started, despite country's prime minister attempting to mediate.

A movie about it is coming out in a few weeks.
 
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The 1994 FIFA World Cup, held in the United States, had a strong connection to Rutgers University. Several Rutgers alumni, including the famous Alexi Lalas, played for the US Men's National Team and featured prominently in the tournament. Additionally, Rutgers hosted practice sessions and an exhibition game for some of the participating teams.
Rutgers as a Training Site:
  • In addition to the Moroccan team training there, two World Cup teams, Saudi Arabia and the United States, met in an exhibition game at Rutgers' new soccer stadium on May 25th.
  • The Saudi team chose Rutgers due to its isolation and seclusion.
  • The New York Times reported that the Saudi team enjoyed the quiet setting, which contrasted with the anticipated passion of their fans.
 
Fat Koko said:
In 1994, Ireland spent a few days training at Drew before a Giants Stadium match.

The team chose Orlando as training base in 1994 so the players could get accustomed to US summer weather.

Ireland facilities factoid: In 2002, the team chose to train in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of the Japan World Cup. The training facilities were so terrible, Ireland's captain, Roy Keane - probably the country's best-ever player - humiliated the manager in front of the whole team. The manager then fired his own captain before the tournament started, despite country's prime minister attempting to mediate.

A movie about it is coming out in a few weeks.
Click to expand...
Wrong year. I was only off by 13 lol.

scarletknights.com

Republic of Ireland National Team Trains at Yurcak Field - Rutgers University Athletics

Ireland goes through its paces during a practice session at Yurcak Field on Tuesday morning.PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers University continues to be the training facility
scarletknights.com scarletknights.com
 
In the last WC played in the USA, The Pingry School hosted the Italian team with assistance from Rutgers. My daughter, then in college) worked for RU athletics during that summer and helped at Pingry as one of the hosts.

It was a great experience for her.
 
RAA-1 said:
In the last WC played in the USA, The Pingry School hosted the Italian team with assistance from Rutgers. My daughter, then in college) worked for RU athletics during that summer and helped at Pingry as one of the hosts.

It was a great experience for her.
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We used to go watch their practices at Pingry, it was basically unparalleled access to the team with very minimal security

They also stayed at the Somerset Hills Hotel, due to the proximity to Perry and they also didn’t want the guys going out in the city

It didn’t work out too well as it’s right off 78, and apparently one of the Knights the guys went bonkers in New York and got in trouble when they returned

Side note, both my sister and her husband and my wife and I all got married at the Somerset Hills hotel. My wife’s father was right off the boat & They’re all 100% ITALIA, and as soon as he found out that the Italian team stay there in 1994, we all immediately decided that’s where we’re gonna get married
 
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Sure would be a smart choice just the the proximity to NYC. rail lines , hotels, bus service, major highway system ( won’t mention EWR yet) and logistically it makes sense. All said they will probably pick something like Hofstra or FDU
 
Fat Koko said:
Big vote of confidence for Rutgers athletic department and sports facilities if an international soccer team selects Rutgers as its World Cup training base. This is Rutgers' opportunity to lose. Rutgers athletics desperately needs positive news. Here is a chance.

On why the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC haven't made their facilities available, this is good question. Seven MLS teams have offered their facilities to World Cup teams - FC Cincinnati, Atlanta United, FC Dallas, Sporting KC, Philadelphia Union, Seattle Sounders.

MetLife isn't the only World Cup stadium lacking nearby FIFA-approved training facilities. Gillette Stadium near Boston has none within 250 miles. Rutgers is closest. Yet Dallas has five base camp facilities approved by FIFA.

The teams get to select their base camp locations from the FIFA list. I doubt an international soccer team selects Penn State. The campus is located 200 miles from the Philadelphia World Cup stadium versus 65 miles for Rutgers.
Click to expand...

By now, I think the Rutgers athletics department has learned not to get excited about anything. Ever.
 
This is awesome if RU can get it.
When the English Premier League did its Summer Series in summer 2023, Brighton used RU's facility. It was all over their social media and looked amazing.
 
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