The World Cup Is Already Rolling: MTA Launches 48-Nation Subway Train Wraps
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off Thursday, and the MTA is making sure riders feel it before they ever reach a fan zone or stadium gate. The transit agency has launched a fleet of World Cup-branded subway trains, with each car wrapped in the national colors of one of the 48 countries competing in this summer's tournament.
The first trains out of the gates — representing Senegal and France — are already in service on the 1 line. Brazil and Morocco have been wrapped and are running on the R. Additional nations will be added to the roster in the coming days and weeks as the tournament progresses.
"When a train wrapped in the colors of Senegal pulls into Harlem, or a subway car carrying Morocco's flag rolls through Astoria, it tells a story about who we are as New Yorkers."
— Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Each wrap pairs a nation's flag colors with an image of the Statue of Liberty torch — a deliberate nod to New York's identity as a city that has long welcomed the world. The designs were produced by Burn & Broad, a New York City-based studio, in a project developed jointly by the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee, the mayor's office, and the MTA.
For fans arriving from abroad or traveling across the five boroughs to reach one of the city's official fan zones, the wrapped trains function as both a wayfinding signal and an unofficial welcome party. The 7 train — long celebrated as the International Express for the Queens communities it connects — is among the lines set to carry wrapped cars.
Where to Look: Line-by-Line Breakdown
The rollout follows a staged schedule. Here is the confirmed breakdown of which nations are assigned to which lines:
| Line | Nations |
|---|---|
| 1 Train | Senegal, France |
| R Train | Brazil, Morocco |
| 2 Train | Norway, Senegal |
| 6 Train | Panama, England |
| 7 Train | Ecuador, Norway |
| 4 Train | Japan, Croatia, Canada, Tunisia, Portugal, Haiti, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, Ghana, United States |
| A Train | Spain, Scotland, Saudi Arabia, DR Congo, Australia, United States, Cape Verde, Netherlands, Jordan, Sweden |
| E Train | Colombia, Egypt, Algeria, Uruguay, New Zealand, Turkiye, Iraq, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Czechia |
| F Train | Argentina, South Africa, Bosnia, Austria, Paraguay, South Korea, Iran, Mexico, Belgium, Qatar |
Note: Senegal appears on both the 1 and 2 trains, Norway on both the 2 and 7 trains, and the United States on both the 4 and A trains. Additional assignments may be announced as the tournament continues.
The Context
The train wrap program is one layer of a broader city-wide World Cup infrastructure that includes enhanced MTA service on match days, fan festivals in all five boroughs, and a network of shuttle connections to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where all eight of the region's matches will be played.
Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee, described the visual as symbolic of the tournament's scale — the 48-team format, introduced for this edition, is the largest in World Cup history.
"This World Cup will be the biggest and most inclusive tournament in history, and seeing the spirit of participating nations travel through the heart of New York City is a powerful symbol of the unity the game inspires."
— Alex Lasry, CEO, FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee
Getting Around During the World Cup
On match days, the MTA will run increased frequencies on the 1, C, and F lines to support connections to Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal — the two main hubs for NJ Transit and World Cup shuttle service to the Meadowlands. The 7 train will also see additional service to serve fan zone sites in Queens, including the group stage headquarters at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
If you're heading to MetLife for a match, our complete transit guide covers every route option from subway to shuttle to NJ Transit. For the borough-by-borough fan zone breakdown, see our fan zones guide. The full match schedule is at worldcup.nyc/world-cup-nyc-schedule.
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