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

NFL football | ©Joaquin Montaño-Midjourney

Have you ever experienced the craziness and atmosphere of American football in New York? Attending an NFL game is one of the most exciting experiences you can have on a trip to the city.

The two biggest football teams in the city are the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Get your tickets and get ready to enjoy America's top sport live and in style - you'll have a great time!

How to buy American Football tickets?

Buy tickets online| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
Buy tickets online| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

American football is the number one sport in the USA and tickets for the games are sold out months in advance. If you want to include a football match in your trip to New York, I advise you to buy football tickets before you travel. To do so, visit the Hellotickets website to see the complete offer. Also, keep in mind the following tips:

  • To go to a football match in New York the demand is high so it is usual that tickets are sold out soon. The key is to buy them as early as possible to get the best seat in the stadium at the cheapest 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.
  • Moreover, when you buy football tickets online you can choose the place you like the most. In my opinion, this is the quickest, easiest and safest option.
  • Buying football tickets at the box office means that you will have to buy them when you are in New York, so you will have to adjust to the ticket window hours, travel to the stadium and wait in a very long queue to buy them.
  • By getting your football tickets at the box office, you will be months later than when you could have bought them at home. Therefore, there will be far fewer tickets left and perhaps at an unreasonable price. Or they will be sold out due to the high demand of the NFL.

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New York Giants tickets

The New York Giants play at MetLife Stadium, which is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just 30 minutes from Manhattan. It is one of the NFL's most iconic stadiums and has a capacity of over 82,000. Buying New York Giants tickets well in advance guarantees better seating and more competitive prices. In addition, it is important to be aware of key games.

Key New York Giants games

If you have the opportunity to travel to New York, you will be interested to know which are the most recommended New York Giants games at MetLife Stadium. Below, you can check out the New York Giants schedule, the key match-ups are:

  • Divisional Matchups (NFC East): Dallas Cowboys, because of their historic rivalry; Philadelphia Eagles, a classic, and Washington Commanders, although not as popular, also key to the standings.
  • Games against Conference Rivals (NFC): San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.

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New York Jets tickets

Like the New York Giants, the New York Jets play their home games at MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is recommended to buy New York Jets tickets as far in advance as possible.

Key New York Jets Fixtures

If you have the opportunity to travel to New York, you will be interested to know which are the most recommended games of the 24-25 season that the New York Jets will play at MetLife Stadium. Below, you can check out the New York Jets schedule, the key match-ups are:

  • Divisional Matchups (NFC East): New England Patriots, a historic rival; Buffalo Bills, a direct opponent; and Miami Dolphins, another divisional contender.
  • Matchups against Conference Rivals (NFC): Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

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Where to watch an NFL game in New York?

American Football| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
American Football| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

Both the Giants and the 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, USA.
  • 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 about 30 minutes. To get your bus tickets you must go to the Coach USA ticket office directly.

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

Friends with tickets for the game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
Friends with tickets for the game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

The best way to get your NFL tickets and enjoy a great American football game is through the internet, because going to the MetLife Stadium to try your luck if there are tickets left 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 football tickets cost in New York?

American football helmet| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
American football helmet| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

The price of a ticket to an NFL game in New York varies from £20 to £1,500. This difference will depend on several factors:

  • The teams playing each other.
  • The venue chosen in the stadium.
  • The time of the season when the game is played.
  • How far in advance you buy your tickets.

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Where to choose in the stadium?

NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

MetLife Stadium is a new and large stadium. In general, there are no bad seats inside the stadium and you will be able to feel the atmosphere and the excitement of the sport in any section of the stadium. However, when choosing a good spot in the stadium, the idea is to strike a balance between a good location and your budget.

If you're a football fan and want to get a closer look at the plays and players, I recommend 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 football 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 football season like in New York?

NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

One of the things that sets the NFL apart from other major American football leagues is the apparent equality among its 32 teams. In other words, every team has a real chance of winning, which makes the NFL even more exciting.

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

Throughout the year there are many key dates in the football calendar to keep in mind:

Training Camps (late July)

Before the start of the pre-season games, NFL teams gather at various American universities for a few weeks to train and prepare for the first friendly matches.

Pre-season (August)

The pre-season takes place in August and NFL teams play between five and eight friendly games before the start of the season as such. Football 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 your calendar for several important dates:

  • Thanksgiving (22 November): the NFL schedules 3 games for this important American holiday.
  • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (24-25 December): if these holidays fall on a weekend or Monday, the NFL usually schedules some games during Christmas in New York.
  • 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 as selected by the fans to form the American football dream team.

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 play-offs and only the best teams remain. The games become even more exciting and the price of football 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 battle it out for victory in a do-or-die battle. The whole country comes to a standstill to watch the sporting event of the year and it is almost like a bank holiday.

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

Naturally, football 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!

NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
NFL Game| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

When to go to the stadium?

MetLife Stadium is located in New Jersey, a long way from downtown New York, so on game day I recommend that you get there well in advance so that you don't arrive late in case there are any unforeseen circumstances on the bus ride to the stadium. At least an hour before kick-off.

This will also give you time to wander around the area, visit the team shop, find your seats or buy a snack. You will see the atmosphere before the game and how the stadium is gradually filling up. A sensational moment is when the players take the field: the stadium roars and the fans welcome them like heroes!

Can you 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 a bit 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 litres 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, wallets and purses will be thoroughly inspected by the security team before 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 for watching the NFL

Ball detail| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney
Ball detail| ©Joaquín Montaño - Midjourney

How long is an NFL game?

An American football 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 admission policy, children up to 34" (86.36 cm tall) can enter the stadium for free, but they must sit on the lap of an adult who has their own ticket. Also, MetLife Stadium does not allow prams or nappy bags.

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What other sporting events are there in New York?

NBA game| ©NBA
NBA game| ©NBA

If you are a sports fan and want to attend another event during your holiday in New York I recommend you other options such as:

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