Flushing, Queens: World Cup 2026 Guide

Official USTA fan zone + the largest Chinatown outside Manhattan + Korean community + extraordinary food courts

Flushing, Queens: The World Cup Neighborhood

Flushing is the end of the 7 train line and one of the most remarkable urban environments in the United States. It is simultaneously: the largest Chinatown outside Manhattan, a major Korean neighborhood, the site of the World's Fair grounds (now Flushing Meadows–Corona Park), the location of the USTA tennis center (home of the US Open), and one of the great food destinations on earth. During the 2026 World Cup, the USTA grounds host the official Queens fan zone.

The USTA Fan Zone

The official borough fan zone at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is free but requires advance registration at nynjfwc26.com. The fan zone is active during the group stage (June 11-27) and shows every match on large screens across the tennis facility grounds. Capacity limits apply — register in advance, especially for South America and Europe match days when demand from the Queens communities is highest.

The USTA grounds are extensive and well-organized for large crowds. There are food vendors, fan merchandise areas, and the general atmosphere of an official FIFA fan experience. Unlike a bar, it's family-friendly, outdoor, and genuinely large enough to avoid the crush that smaller venues get during peak matches.

The New World Mall Food Courts

The basement of the New World Mall at 136-20 Roosevelt Avenue is one of the most extraordinary food shopping experiences in the United States. Chinese, Korean, and pan-Asian food stalls serve food that is simultaneously cheap ($5-12 per dish), extraordinary in quality, and completely unlike anything available at a typical American food court. This is where people who live in Flushing eat when they want good food quickly.

For World Cup visitors: allocate at least 45 minutes to the food court, order multiple small dishes from different stalls, and eat standing at the counter or at the few tables available. The pork dumplings, the Sichuan noodles, the bao buns, and the Korean fried chicken available in this basement represent better eating per dollar than most of what's available in Manhattan at triple the price.

The Korean Community in Flushing

Flushing's Korean community is centered around Union Street and extends through several blocks of restaurants, karaoke bars, and cultural institutions. It is different from Koreatown on 32nd Street in Manhattan — less tourist-facing, more genuinely neighborhood. For South Korea World Cup matches, the Korean restaurants and bars in Flushing show every game with the community watching together. Arrive early for Group A matches (Korea vs Mexico, Korea vs South Africa) — these venues fill completely.

The 7 Train to Flushing

The 7 train from Times Square to Flushing–Main Street takes about 30 minutes and passes through the full sequence of Queens neighborhoods: Woodside (Irish and Filipino), Jackson Heights (South American), Corona (Mexican), Flushing (Chinese and Korean). On any South American or Korean match day, the 7 train car becomes a cultural cross-section of the World Cup itself — jerseys from five different nations, conversations in four languages, phones showing match updates. The ride is part of the experience.