Before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, MetLife chose to remove 1,740 permanent seats to widen the field of play and replace them with Sandwich Plate System (SPS) semi-permanent terrace units. Skanska led this two-phase project from January to May 2024 and then again from January to May 2025, with EwingCole serving as architect.

First, existing precast concrete in all four corners of MetLife Stadium was selectively demolished and replaced with 6280 ft² [583 m²] of new SPS terraces and floors matching the existing conditions. An additional 4150 ft² [385 m²] of SPS was used for field walls, including gates and provision for A/V hookups.

The new SPS stadia decking rests on a steel frame that crews can demount and reinstall to convert the venue between future NFL and FIFA events. Additionally, the space below serves as team storage.

An additional 2,730 ft² [253 m²] of SPS terraces, built on lightweight frames that stadium operations can move in or out, now replaces the ageing aluminum seating units. As a part of this, SPS Technology partnered with the seating supplier to reconfigure the seats for demounting, keeping the seat count intact and sustainably reusing the existing hardware.

MetLife Stadium’s World Cup seating modifications stand out because they involve permanent structural changes, not temporary additions. In contrast, other host venues rely on purely temporary, added structures that are dismantled after the tournament rather than integrated into the building itself.