VOL 27 ISSUE 28, July 20, 2026
Main caption: The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final took place Sunday, July 19, at NYNJ (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, N.J., with Sportservice preparing to serve a crowd of more than 80,000 fans. Pictured, from left, are some of the Delaware North culinarians who supported the massive event: Fabian Martinez, Lambeau Field; Brent MacLeod, Lambeau Field; Ted Donnelly, UBS Arena; Camilo Baquero, MetLife Stadium; Andres Rojas, MetLife Stadium; James Smith, Wembley Stadium; and Pawan Khatiwoda, Wembley Stadium.
When the FIFA World Cup Final was played at NYNJ Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on July 19, it wasn’t just another big-time game or concert. By virtually every measure, it was the biggest sporting event on the planet.
In a recent Sports Business Journal feature previewing the match, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described of the monthlong tournament as “104 Super Bowls” – with the final positioned as the “uber-Super Bowl.” New York/New Jersey Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry went even further, describing the weekend as “bigger than a Super Bowl or Final Four weekend” and likening it to “a mini United Nations” with “every celebrity coming.”
As the world’s most-watched sporting event reached its climax, Sportservice was there to help serve the global audience that descended on the New York metropolitan area.
Throughout the tournament, Sportservice operated hospitality and retail services at NYNJ Stadium, serving fans across eight matches, culminating with the World Cup Final.
Sportservice created a globally inspired menu that reflected the culinary diversity of New York and Northern New Jersey, blending international flavors with elevated stadium fare to provide a welcoming experience for visitors from around the world, with Delaware North culinarians from locations throughout the country and Wembley Stadium in London onsite to support Sportservice. And the team store – which rotates from the New York Jets’ green to the New York Giants’ blue during the NFL season – was transformed to represent the teams playing in each of the eight games, including the final.
The scale of the operation was extraordinary. As Sports Business Journal reported, “For Delaware North (Sportservice), which will have close to 3,000 employees handling food, beverage and merchandise offerings throughout MetLife Stadium, the World Cup final is poised to rival the $11 million in sales the venue generated during the 2014 Super Bowl.”
The publication also reported that Sportservice had been “breaking concessions records with each successive World Cup match,” with the final expected to provide an even longer operating window as hospitality spaces throughout the stadium were fully utilized.
From premium hospitality spaces to concession stands throughout the venue, Sportservice’s team delivered an experience befitting one of the world’s premier sporting events. Sports Business Journal reported that between 10,000 and 15,000 of the more than 80,000 attendees would experience some form of premium hospitality during the match, with Sportservice elevating menus for the occasion.
In describing the challenge of serving some of the world’s most discerning guests while maintaining the familiar comforts of a sporting event, Sportservice General Manager Bill Lohr told Sports Business Journal:
“What we’ve found through the tournament is that some of them are looking for smashburgers or chicken fingers or hot dogs. So, you have to make sure that you mix those in with all the high-end and fancy foods that we’re doing.”