Despite exorbitant fares and match tickets, fan events in New York will be free during the World Cup.
Published April 28, 2026
New York City will host a series of free events for soccer fans who want to experience the excitement of the World Cup but can’t afford expensive match tickets, Mayor Zoran Mamdani said in a statement.
Mamdani, a well-known soccer enthusiast, announced the free event on Monday with New York Governor Cathy Hochul.
“Every fan should be able to watch the best tournament on the planet without breaking their savings,” Mamdani said.
The event, held one in each of the city’s five boroughs, includes game watch parties and other festivities. It will be held at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, a shopping center near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and a minor league baseball stadium in Staten Island.
Another fan event scheduled for Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, where the New York Red Bulls play, will cost $10.
The World Cup matches will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City can expect to pay $150 in round-trip train fare for each game, transportation officials announced earlier this month.
That’s nearly 12 times the regular price of $12.90 for the approximately 15-minute, 14-km (9-mile) journey from Penn Station in Manhattan to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Most fans will not have access to on-site parking, so New Jersey officials expect about 40,000 fans to use public transportation for each game.
The home stadium of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets is scheduled to host eight World Cup games, including the final game on July 19th. Group stage matches between soccer powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany, England and other countries will begin on June 13th.
