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New Yorkers will get a kick out of this.
A full pitch of free viewing parties will be served to World Cup fans across the five boroughs as the Big Apple hosts several matches in the soccer tournament, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed Monday.
Mamdani said the official fan events weren’t originally set to be free, but he and Hochul worked together to make sure every New Yorker can take part.
“Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on earth without having to dip into their savings,” the socialist mayor said during an event at SIUH Community Park, home of the Staten Island FerryHawks.
The pair’s joint announcement comes amid a glut of frustrating developments for New York and New Jersey residents as the region prepares for the summer’s games at MetLife Stadium in the Garden State.
Roughly 1.2 million visitors are expected to descend on the New York metro region for eight World Cup games at MetLife Stadium.
Mamdani, a soccer mega-fan who passionately supports English Premier League team Arsenal FC, recently signed an emergency order blocking new permits for special events such as concerts, food festivals and even birthday celebrations on city parkland during the World Cup.
The rule was adopted as NYPD officials raised concerns about manpower during the World Cup from mid-June to July 19.
The city is set to pay a whopping $90 million for the massive international event.
Soccer fans planning to attend the games can expect some serious sticker shock, beyond the roughly $600 to nearly $11,000 ticket prices.
NJ Transit plans to raise prices to an astronomical $100 for riders traveling from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium for games.
Transit officials have warned New York and New Jersey commuters to work from home if they can.
The costly headaches could be alleviated, at least for local World Cup fans, by the free events.
“Our thought today is this, if you can’t get to the World Cup, the World Cup is coming to you,” Hochul said.
“New York isn’t just hosting the World Cup, New York is the World Cup.”
Albany has shelled out more than $20 million to help cover the costs for activities to celebrate the six-week soccer tournament in the Big Apple, officials said.
The fan events will be:
- NYNJ World Cup 26 Queens Group Stage HQ at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows from June 11-27
- NYNJ World Cup 26 & Telemundo Fan Village at Rockefeller Center from July 6-19
- NYNJ World Cup 26 Bronx Fan Zone at the Bronx Terminal Market between June 13-14
- Brooklyn Fan Zone at Brooklyn Bridge Park from June 13-July 19
- NYNJ World Cup 26 Staten Island Fan Zone at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park between June 29-July 2
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