New York City will hold a series of free events for soccer fans hoping to catch World Cup matches without spending a fortune on tickets, officials announced Monday.
Events Across the Boroughs
The events, one in each of the city's five boroughs, will include watch parties and other festivities. They will be staged 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.
Additional Paid Event
A separate fan event planned for Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, where the New York Red Bulls play, will cost $10.
World Cup matches will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where just getting to and from the matches on public transit could cost $150.
Official Announcement
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a noted soccer devotee, announced the free events alongside New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat.
"Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on earth without dipping into their savings," Mamdani said.
Similar fan events are being planned for other U.S. host cities.
