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After months of anticipation, the biggest sports event of the year is nearly here. No, not that Knicks championship win (though our fingers are very much crossed), but the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And after more than three decades, the international soccer tournament will return to the United States this summer for 39 days of competitions between national teams from across the globe.
The games will be held from June 11 to July 19 in a record 104 matches staged across Mexico, Canada and the United States (that’s 16 North American cities including Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia and Seattle), marking the first time ever that three countries have hosted the event together. And, of course, the Tri-State area is playing a big role in this year’s tournament, with a whopping eight games taking place at the NYC-adjacent MetLife Stadium.
But the World Cup fever will extend far beyond those stadium walls. Here are 10 sporty-cool ways to celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup in NYC this summer.
1. Cheer on Portugal at Time Out Market, Brooklyn
Starting this Saturday, June 13, Time Out Market, Brooklyn will be transformed into the multi-sensory Portugal House where you’ll be able to not only watch the thrilling games live on June 17, 23 and 27 but also take in the best that Portuguese culture has to offer.
Stop by the Market’s fifth floor pop-up, to experience a range of Portuguese wines, try delicious food specialties, pose for memorable photo ops, enjoy entertainment on the stunning terrace and compete in an interactive Portugal Match Quiz.
2. Watch the World Cup final right on Central Park’s Great Lawn
State and city officials, alongside FIFA and the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee, announced a free public viewing of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final on Central Park's Great Lawn on Sunday, July 19. The massive event is expected to draw 50,000 fans, giving New Yorkers who couldn't score tickets to the championship match a chance to experience the spectacle alongside tens of thousands of fellow soccer supporters.
Presented by Global Citizen, the free watch party will transform one of the city's most iconic green spaces into a giant outdoor stadium for what is expected to be one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. Admission will be free, but tickets will be distributed through a lottery system administered by Global Citizen. Registration opens June 11 at 10am and remains open through July 16. Doors to the Great Lawn will open at noon, with kickoff scheduled for 3pm ET.
3. Take advantage of newly installed late-night hours at NYC bars
Soccer fans around New York state will have the opportunity to keep the party going well into the night during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks to newly signed legislation from Governor Kathy Hochul that temporarily extends alcohol service hours for restaurants and bars.
The new legislation, signed on June 9, allows bars, restaurants, taverns and other on-premises licensed establishments to serve alcoholic beverages until 4am from June 11 through July 20, 2026. Businesses are expecting an influx of soccer fans from around the world, and the new law is designed to help these businesses roll out the red carpet. The temporary measure overrides local restrictions on serving alcohol for the duration of the tournament, so fans can celebrate with consistency wherever they are.
4. Take a Mamdani-approved scavenger hunt around the five boroughs
Mayor Mamdani’s office exclusively revealed to Time Out New York its planned World Cup programming and new tools that will get both longtime locals and visitors alike to explore the five boroughs throughout the World Cup series. A key component of the sporty lineup is the NYC Neighborhood Passport program.
Launched in partnership with Team Wonder, the passport will encourage people to scavenger-hunt their way through the outer-borough neighborhoods, diverse immigrant enclaves, cultural institutions, small businesses and community events that help make New York, well, New York. You'll be able to collect stamps, each designed by a New York City-based artist, from a wide variety of cultural and community organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, El Museo del Barrio, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Prospect Park Alliance, Queens Botanical Garden and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, as well as at events like dance performances, film showings, block parties, and more. Starting Thursday, June 11, the passports will be available for pick up at every library branch in all five boroughs as well as select World Cup events.
5. Check out the sporty programming at the Museum of Natural History
As the New York/New Jersey region prepares to take center stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the American Museum of Natural History is heading to the pitch. The museum has officially announced "World Cup, World Cultures: Celebrating the Community and Science of Sport," a lineup of programming designed to bridge the gap between athletic excellence and scientific discovery.
Along with For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence, an exhibition of championship rings, trophies, medals and jewelry from legendary athletes and teams, there are also At the heart of the celebration are the museum’s World Cup watch parties. Beginning June 11, the museum will screen matches in its most storied spaces, including the Cullman Hall of the Universe and on the LeFrak Theater’s massive 60-by-40-foot screen. A highlight of the summer will be the June 13 screening of Brazil vs. Morocco—the first 2026 World Cup match to be played locally.
6. Catch free performances by Nas, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes and more in Queens
From June 11 through June 27, the iconic USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be transformed into a vibrant, global fan fest known as the NYNJ World Cup 26 Queens Group Stage HQ.
Over the course of 17 action-packed dates, the venue will host more than 40 performances and appearances from globally-recognized recording artists, hometown legends and international icons. The musical roster spans genres and generations, celebrating the rich diversity of the local community: The star-studded lineup includes Nas, Wyclef Jean, Ella Mai, Blessd and Busta Rhymes, among others.
7. Feast on a World Cup Winner Special for only $26 at hundreds of NYC restos and bars
To coincide with the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in partnership with the New York City Tourism + Conventions bureau, has a new dining initiative set to make everyone a winner. Dubbed the "Five Borough Winners Special," the program will see hundreds of local bars, restaurants and cafes offering $26 dining deals. Kicking off on Thursday, June 11 through the final on Sunday, July 19, the program makes it easy to try amazing local food at an affordable price point. With many matches held nearby at MetLife Stadium, the specials are a budget-friendly incentive for fans to explore NYC’s world-class food scene.
Nearly 600 establishments have already enrolled, including Staten Island's Kills Boro Brewing Company, Harlem's Red Rooster, Rockefeller Center's Naro, Jackson Heights' Armondo’s, Little Neck's La Baraka and Prospect Heights' Morgan’s. The $26 specials will take various creative forms, including multi-course prix fixe menus, food-and-drink pairings or exclusive beverage deals.
8. Toast to your chosen team at a giant tequila boat docked in NYC
In the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final, Tequila Don Julio 1942 will bring Port of Champions to Manhattan, a week-long waterfront takeover centered around a megayacht that will dock at Chelsea Piers from July 13 through July 19.
According to the brand, Port of Champions will host day-to-night programming throughout the tournament’s final week, including match-day viewing events, late-night parties with DJs, luxury dining experiences, content and podcast studios and tequila tastings aboard the yacht itself. (One of the more intriguing details is an onboard speakeasy dedicated to intimate tasting experiences.)
9. Do it up at free World Cup fan zones and watch parties at city parks and public plazas
Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee unveiled plans for a citywide series of official fan events that will bring giant match screenings, live entertainment, cultural programming and plenty of soccer-fueled cheers to parks, plazas and public spaces from June through July.
Brooklyn is getting perhaps the longest-running activation: a waterfront fan zone at Brooklyn Bridge Park will run from June 13 through July 19 with daily screenings and events overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Then, over in Manhattan, Rockefeller Center will host the “NYNJ World Cup 26 & Telemundo Fan Village” from July 6 through July 19, with extended hours during finals week.
10. Go to a FIFA World Cup, game, duh
Yes, it’s tough to get tickets. Yes, it’s going to be a traffic nightmare. But, as the NBA Finals have shown us (go Knicks!), New York loves a big sports moment and there’s no bigger sports moment this summer than the World Cup.
The New York–New Jersey region will play a particularly prominent role this year with eight matches scheduled for the area—including the big championship match on July 19—at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, after five weeks of games across the continent. It’s especially exciting because it’s been thirty-plus years since New York and New Jersey played host to the World Cup back in 1994 at the now-defunct Giants Stadium (which has since been replaced by MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Not only that, but the official FIFA tournament poster was also designed by one of New York’s own: Brooklyn-based conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas.
So brave the masses and get your soccer-loving butt to MetLife!