New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Announces Free FIFA World Cup Opportunities
All official 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Fest events in New York City will be free this summer, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday.
New York City is one of 11 U.S host cities for the quadrennial tournament, and since his election last November, Mamdani has consistently pledged to make the experience more affordable, condemning FIFA for its steep price of entry. This latest commitment sees the mayor host five multi-day fan events, one in each borough of the Big Apple, by joining forces with the New York New Jersey World Cup Host Committee.
“The world’s game truly brings the world together,” Mamdani said in a press conference with the host committee. “As we prepare to host the World Cup right here in our backyard, we want to do everything in our power to make it more affordable for fans to make those memories.”
“If the best things in life are free, so too should the World Cup fan experience,” added Mamdani, who devoted soccer fan himself. “These events were not initially set to be free, but the world’s game should belong to the world.”
The Favorites to Win the 2026 World Cup—Ranked. dark. Next. World Cup favorites
Each fan event will include live viewings of games and local food offerings and will not be limited to just a single day.
In Queens, the fan event will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from June 11–27; in Manhattan, fans will gather at the Fan Village in Rockefeller Center from July 6–19; in the Bronx, it will be held at the Bronx Terminal Market from June 13–14; in Staten Island, supporters will gather at Staten Island Hospital Community Park from June 29–July 2; and in Brooklyn, the event will take place at Brooklyn Bridge Park from June 13–July 19.
“Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on Earth, without having to dip into their savings,” Mamdani concluded. “Today, we took the first step of many towards fulfilling that promise.”
Mamdani Condemns FIFA
FIFA’s ticket prices have reached heights never before seen at the World Cup—often quadrupling the cost of a seat from 2022’s edition in Qatar—as a result of the organization’s recent commitment to “dynamic pricing.” Mamdani has not shied away from sharing his opinion on the matter.
“FIFA’s approach to the ticket process of this World Cup is both without precedent in their own administration of previous World Cups and is also an approach that will price out so many New Yorkers from actually being able to be in the stands,” he said back in September when tickets first went on sale. Prices have only increased in subsequent ticket sale phases.
In response to global backlash, FIFA did release a limited number of “Support Entry Tier” tickets priced at $60, roughly 1,000 seats per match.
Mamdani added in December, following the release: “A $60 ‘supporter ticket’ for 1.6% of seats isn’t enough. Not when FIFA set the highest ticket prices in World Cup history.
“Thousands spoke up demanding that this be a tournament that New Yorkers can afford. Here’s what we actually need: end dynamic pricing, cap resale prices and set aside 15% of tickets for local fans at a discount. The beautiful game must be for everyone.”
Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. dark. FREE NEWSLETTER. New SI FC Newsletter Global Embed
Other Cities Efforts for World Cup Affordability
New York City is not the only World Cup host city attempting to make the tournament more affordable for fans.
Toronto is also offering a free 22-day FIFA Fan Festival from June 11–July 19 that offers public viewing of matches, live performances, cultural programming, art and food.
Philadelphia has targeted transportation costs, reaching a deal to provide free travel to fans leaving Lincoln Financial Field via SEPTA, the city’s transit system, through a partnership with Airbnb. The complimentary transportation will start at halftime of each game and continue for two hours after the final whistle. The typical fare of $2.90 will remain for fans traveling to the stadium.
Kansas City is likewise assisting fans with tournament transportation, offering a direct shuttle from FIFA Fan Festival or one of four park-and-ride sites to Arrowhead Stadium for $15 round-trip, or unlimited rides at $50. The host city committee is also offering a complimentary shuttle service from the airport to downtown that runs every 15 minutes.
READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
feed