The stadium in East Rutherford that normally carries the MetLife name will undergo a temporary rebranding during this summer’s World Cup, meaning millions of viewers—and even local commuters—will not see its familiar corporate signage during the tournament.

Drivers along Route 3 in northern New Jersey have already begun noticing the shift. A banner reading “We Are New York New Jersey” has appeared at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, signaling that the venue will not be identified by its usual name while it hosts matches. Despite its location in New Jersey, the temporary designation will not include the state name in front.

FIFA officials explained that the change stems from strict policies that prohibit corporate naming rights at World Cup venues. The stadium will instead be referred to as New York New Jersey Stadium throughout the competition.

“In line with its brand protection policy, FIFA protects its brands and the exclusive rights of its sponsors, including clean zones around FIFA World Cup stadiums and other event sites,” a FIFA spokesperson told NJ.com in an email.

“FIFA is working closely with stadium authorities and host cities to implement these requirements in a manner consistent with previous editions of the tournament, while taking into account the unique infrastructure and operational considerations at each venue.”

The renaming was first reported by NorthJersey.com.

The venue, best known as MetLife Stadium, is scheduled to host eight matches during the World Cup, beginning June 13 with a game between Brazil and Morocco and concluding with the championship match on July 19.

MetLife, formally known as the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, secured naming rights to the stadium in 2011 through a long-term agreement with the New York Jets and New York Giants, who jointly own the facility. The deal is estimated to bring in between $17 million and $20 million annually over a 25-year period.

With the MetLife branding removed for the duration of the tournament, the company will lose a significant amount of global exposure. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has projected that roughly six billion people worldwide will watch some portion of the competition, with over 1.5 billion expected to tune in for the final alone.

Infantino contrasted the tournament’s reach with that of American football’s championship game, which was held at the same stadium in 2014.

“The Super Bowl, which is fantastic, has what, 120-130 million viewers?” Infantino told Fox. “A World Cup is 104 Super Bowls in one month. That’s three Super Bowls a day.”

The 82,500-seat stadium opened in 2010 under the name New Meadowlands Stadium before adopting its current corporate title a year later. It replaced the original Giants Stadium, which hosted matches during the 1994 World Cup, including a semifinal between Italy and Bulgaria.

{Matzav.com}