New Yorkers are apparently freaking out about the masses swarming this famous tourist spot during the World Cup

If you’ve tried walking through DUMBO lately without accidentally ending up in someone’s TikTok photo shoot, brace yourself: locals say things are about to get even worse once the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives.

The now-famous Washington Street view—the one where the cobblestone Brooklyn block perfectly frames the Manhattan Bridge—has already become one of New York’s most relentless tourist magnets. And according to increasingly frazzled residents, the neighborhood is nearing a breaking point.

The concern isn’t exactly new. Residents have spent the past couple of years complaining about overcrowding, illegal vendors, garbage piles, traffic jams and an ever-growing swarm of influencers blocking sidewalks in pursuit of “the shot.” But now, with an estimated 1.2 million World Cup visitors expected to flood the region this summer, many locals think DUMBO’s chaos era is about to enter its final boss stage.

“It’s sheer chaos,” resident Sheryl Buchholtz told the New York Post, describing what daily life already feels like in the neighborhood.

If you’ve been there recently, you probably get it. On any given afternoon, Washington Street feels like an odd blend of Times Square, a wedding-photography set and an outdoor food court with no available seating. Tour buses line nearby streets, while tourists spill into traffic, trying to recreate Instagram photos. Residents say trash complaints in the area have jumped 136% since 2019 and illegal vending complaints have skyrocketed by more than 500%.

“It’s not that you shouldn’t come here, it’s that there’s no support for the volume of folks that come here,” local resident Jimmy Ng told the Post.

The timing has residents especially nervous because Brooklyn Bridge Park is also expected to host free World Cup watch parties this June, which could funnel even more foot traffic into the already packed neighborhood.

City Council member Lincoln Restler has reportedly proposed legislation requiring the city to create a formal tourism management plan for DUMBO and to crack down on illegal vending around Washington Street. But locals worry meaningful changes won’t happen fast enough before soccer fans descend on the city.

Meanwhile, tourists continue arriving in droves, many after spotting the location on TikTok or Instagram. Which, to be fair, is part of the problem.