Giants Stadium stood in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, serving as the home field for the New York Giants and New York Jets of the NFL from its opening on October 10, 1976, through its final game on January 3, 2010. Built at a cost of approximately $78 million and financed by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority without public funding, the stadium seated up to 80,242 fans and became one of the most storied venues in American sports.
Over its 34-year history, Giants Stadium hosted far more than professional football. The venue was a key site during the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, welcomed Pope John Paul II for a mass attended by nearly 83,000 people in October 1995, and set its all-time attendance record of 84,467 at a U2 concert in September 2009. After demolition in 2010, MetLife Stadium opened on the same site, carrying the Meadowlands legacy forward.
Stats at a Glance
- Teams: New York Giants (NFL), New York Jets (NFL), New York Cosmos (NASL), New York Red Bulls (MLS)
- Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Opened: October 10, 1976
- Closed: January 3, 2010
- Demolished: February–August 2010
- Capacity: 80,242
- Construction Cost: $78 million (approx. $441 million today)
- Notable Event: 1994 FIFA World Cup host site
A Home for More Than Football
While the New York Giants were the stadium’s original tenants, the New York Jets joined as co-tenants in 1984, making Giants Stadium one of the few NFL venues to simultaneously house two franchises from the same market. The New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League also called the stadium home from 1977 to 1984, and the MetroStars — later the New York Red Bulls — played Major League Soccer there from 1996 until the stadium closed.
The stadium’s versatility extended well beyond team sports. Its selection as a venue for the 1994 FIFA World Cup brought international attention to the Meadowlands, and the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup returned soccer’s global stage to the same turf. Concerts by major artists, including U2’s record-setting 2009 show, underscored the stadium’s status as one of the Northeast’s premier large-scale event venues.
Demolition and the End of an Era
By the late 2000s, Giants Stadium had aged considerably relative to modern NFL standards. It lacked many amenities that newer facilities offered, and both the Giants and Jets agreed to fund a replacement without public subsidy. The final NFL event was played on January 3, 2010, when the Jets defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 37–0. Demolition crews began tearing down the structure on February 4, 2010, completing the work by August of that year.
MetLife Stadium rose adjacent to the original footprint and opened in August 2010, offering 82,500 seats and dramatically updated facilities. Though Giants Stadium is gone, its legacy endures in the Super Bowl championships won by teams that called it home, the World Cup memories made on its field, and the more than 70 million fans who passed through its gates over three-and-a-half decades.
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Giants Stadium FAQs
When did Giants Stadium close and why was it torn down?
Giants Stadium hosted its final event on January 3, 2010. It was demolished because it had aged significantly and lacked modern amenities. The New York Giants and Jets jointly funded a replacement — MetLife Stadium — built adjacent to the old site without public money.
What replaced Giants Stadium?
MetLife Stadium replaced Giants Stadium and opened in August 2010 on the same Meadowlands site in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It seats about 82,500 fans and continues to serve as the shared home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Which teams played at Giants Stadium?
The New York Giants (NFL) were the original tenants from 1976. The New York Jets joined as co-tenants in 1984. The New York Cosmos (NASL) played there from 1977 to 1984, and the MetroStars — later the New York Red Bulls — used the stadium from 1996 to 2009.
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Photo: JazzyJoeyD / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.