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The basics:

• 64% say World Cup matches will help New Jersey economy
• 75% concerned about traffic, travel delays
• 64% worry about NJ Transit crowding during the tournament
• Brazil top pick to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup

New Jersey voters largely believe the 2026 FIFA World Cup will provide an economic boost to the region, but many are also bracing for traffic congestion, crowded transit systems and added pressure on emergency services, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Friday.

The June 5 survey comes as New Jersey’s role in the tournament continues to expand beyond hosting eight matches at MetLife Stadium, including the Final.

The poll engaged 859 registered New Jersey voters from May 15–19 and has a margin of error of +/- 4.2%

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) said hosting World Cup matches in New Jersey will help the state’s economy, including 25% who said it will help “a lot” and 39% who said it will help “a little.” Just 12% said the tournament would hurt the state’s economy.

At the same time, concerns about tournament-related disruptions were widespread. The survey found that while many residents are not closely following the soccer competition itself, they are interested in how it may affect life in New Jersey.

“New Jersey voters see the World Cup as a likely economic win for the region, even as many are tuning out the tournament itself,” Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, said. “What they are paying attention to is what it will mean for getting around the state.

New Jersey voters see the World Cup as a likely economic win for the region, even as many are tuning out the tournament itself.
—Ashley Koning, director, Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling

“Voters welcome the boost but are bracing for the traffic, the transit crowding, and the strain on local services that come with it.”

Picking World Cup favorites

Among respondents, Brazil emerged as the favorite to win the tournament, followed by the United States. Brazil has established its training base at the new RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township and is staying in Basking Ridge during the monthlong tournament.

“New Jerseyans have relatively high hopes about the U.S.’s chances going into the tournament, though that optimism softens among those paying the closest attention,” David Martin, a research associate at ECPIP, said. “Fans following the tournament most closely tend to favor traditional heavyweights like Brazil, France, and Spain, but there is still plenty of optimism about this young U.S. team.”

Additional key findings from the poll include:

• 75% said they are concerned about traffic and travel delays during the tournament, including 49% who said they are “very concerned.”
• 64% expressed concern about NJ Transit crowding, while 60% said they are concerned about the impact on local emergency services.
• Nearly half of voters (49%) said they are following news about the World Cup’s impact on New Jersey — including travel, security, traffic and economic issues — at least somewhat closely.
  • By comparison, only 25% said they are following news about the tournament itself, such as teams, players and matches, at least somewhat closely.
• Just 2% said they plan to attend a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium, while 4% plan to attend a fan zone or watch party. About one-third (34%) expect to watch matches at home.
• Brazil was the most commonly selected favorite to win the tournament at 23%, followed by the United States at 19%. France, Spain and Argentina each received 9%.
• Among voters who closely follow World Cup news, Brazil remained the favorite at 24%, while France (15%), Spain (14%) and Argentina (12%) all ranked ahead of the United States (8%).
• Younger voters expressed significantly greater concern about tournament-related disruptions.
  • Among voters ages 18-34, 67% said they were “very concerned” about traffic delays and 52% were “very concerned” about NJ Transit crowding, compared with 39% and 25%, respectively, among voters age 65 and older.
• Economic expectations and predictions about the tournament winner were largely consistent across demographic groups.

The full poll results are available here.