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' home field in New York City | ©Met Stadium

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 New York Giants Tickets

The historic team

New York Giants Tickets

Get the best American Football tickets in NYC

Book your tickets now to go to a game of the New York Giants, New York's premier NFL team.

Founded in 1925, the New York Giants are the American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. They belong to the Eastern Division of the NFC (National Football Conference) and have won 8 NFL titles in their history: four in the pre-Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and four 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 the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, their legendary rivals, in the most passionate classics.

Recommended if... you want to see the Giants take on the NFL's great teams at their home stadium in New Jersey.

Another major

New York Jets Tickets

Get the best American Football tickets in NYC

The New York Jets is the city's other NFL team that, although with fewer titles, ensures a full-fledged sporting spectacle.

Founded in 1959, the New York Jets compete in the NFL's AFC (American Conference) East Division. 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 rivals are the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills.

Recommended if... you're in New York City for a different experience and want to see the NFL's other great team.


Where to watch an NFL game in New York City

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

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?

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

The best way to get your NFL tickets and enjoy a great American football game is through the internet, as 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 on the 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?

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 playing each other
  • The venue chosen in the stadium
  • The time of the season at which the game takes place
  • 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 football is the number one sport in the United States and tickets for the games are sold out months in advance. If you want to include a football game in your trip to New York, I advise you to buy tickets online before you travel.

  • To go to a football game in New York the demand is high so it is common for tickets to sell out quickly. 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. So 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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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 seats inside the stadium and everywhere you go you can feel the atmosphere and the excitement of the sport. However, when choosing a good seat in the stadium, the idea is to balance a good seat with 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 a picture on the screen 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?

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

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

If you're 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), which are made up of 16 teams each.

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.
  • 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 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 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!

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

When to go to the stadium?

MetLife Stadium is located in New Jersey, a long way from the centre of New York, so on match day I recommend that you get there well in advance so 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!

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 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

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

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 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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