EAST RUTHERFORD - It was 90 minutes before match time and I found myself walking across an empty parking lot outside MetLife, or excuse me, New York/New Jersey Stadium.

It begged the obvious question, why is parking banned during the World Cup? (The other obvious question is why New Jersey officials capitulated and renamed, albeit temporarily, its premier stadium.) Tuesday's match got loads of attention. No, it wasn't because the fortunes of France and Senegal stir the hearts of New Jersey sport fans. It was because of the eight matches set for MetLife, this was the first to occur during the work day.

The news Tuesday morning was filled with reports of street closures in midtown Manhattan. Two reasons for that. One was to allow stadium shuttle buses to line up. The other was to allow fans to queue up outside Penn Station to catch NJ Transit trains.

Mikie Sherrill in a social media post took note of the traffic challenges and urged people to work remotely if possible "to help reduce congestion during the busiest travel periods."

The governor and Dale Caldwell, the lieutenant governor, were scheduled to attend the match.

Sherrill also said NJ Transit was the best way to get to the stadium.

My journey to the stadium, however, was different, A one time New York Jet season ticket holder, I am familiar with the side streets in East Rutherford and Carlstadt running off Paterson Plank Road behind the stadium. I parked there and walked.

It's not a short walk, and, of course, not very bucolic.

But I had plenty of company. I asked many fans how their trip was to the stadium.

Most said it was fine.

And most said they did not take the train or bus. They used Uber, or had a friend drop them off nearby.

The parking lot was chopped up into different zones. The inner perimeter was sealed off to fans with tickets. The outer parking lots were, as noted, mostly empty with some exceptions.

There was a VIP lot. And also a VIP entrance for vehicles.

About 90 minutes before the 3 p.m. match time, a cavalcade of black SUVs rumbled through the VIP gate. One supposes one of the best things about being part of the elite is shielding yourself from the masses in a big SUV with (most of the time) tinted windows.

As for the mere mortals, it was, not surprisingly, a festive atmosphere.

I asked three women wearing Senegal jerseys if they had traveled from overseas.

Not exactly. They were from Brooklyn.

Soccer, or if you prefer, football, has a reputation for passionate fans who occasionally lose control.

Most of the fans I encountered were quite the opposite - happily looking forward to a good match on a nice day.

Some were neutral, meaning they favored neither team.

A man from Teaneck said he was originally from Colombia, but that a family member was from Russia. He said a now 9-year-old child was a good soccer player, and if all goes well, he can play one day for either Colombia, Russia or the U.S. There's a political mix for you.

Such quirks aside, the World Cup is a big deal for the Sherrill Administration. There is hope fans will give state businesses a big boost. But it's more than that, It is incredibly important for NJ Transit to show it can move fans, or riders, efficiently.

Early indications are that there are fewer fans talking the train than expected. The fare, after all, is $98.

No wonder many walked.