It's Finally Here
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens tomorrow. After years of planning, months of squad announcements, weeks of ticket searches and hotel bookings and NJ Transit logistics — the first ball is kicked tomorrow at 4pm ET, Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. New York City's first match is two days later: Brazil vs Morocco at MetLife Stadium on Friday, June 13 at 6pm ET.
For the next 39 days — through July 19 and the Final at MetLife — New York City is the center of the world's biggest sporting event. Nothing in American sports creates this kind of convergence: 48 nations, all of their diaspora communities, in a city that already contains the world.
Final Checklist for NYC Fans
For MetLife ticket holders: Your ticket is in the Ticketmaster app — screenshot the QR code now. Buy your NJ Transit ticket in the app if you haven't. Plan to leave your hotel 90 minutes before kickoff. Bring your approved clear bag.
For fan zone watching: Hudson Yards Big Screen is walk-up free starting June 11 — no registration. The borough fan zones (Queens USTA, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island) require registration at nynjfwc26.com — if you haven't registered, some dates may still be available. The Rockefeller Center Fan Village opens July 6.
For bar watching: Download Tubi for free home streaming. Identify your community bar for your team — the right neighborhood bar beats any generic sports bar by a wide margin. For the Brazil vs Morocco June 13 match, Astoria for Brazil fans and Steinway Street for Morocco fans are the community choices.
The Schedule for New York
Five MetLife group stage matches: June 13 (Brazil vs Morocco), June 16 (France vs Senegal), June 22 (Norway vs Senegal), June 25 (Germany vs Ecuador), June 27 (Panama vs England). Then Round of 32 on June 30, Round of 16 on July 5, and the Final on July 19. Eight matches at MetLife, 39 days, and the entirety of New York City engaged with every one of them.
This is the World Cup. It starts tomorrow.