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The World Cup final on July 19 will be broadcast live in Central Park for an estimated 50,000 spectators, New York City Mayor and state officials announced on Monday.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the decision reflects the significance of the event, noting that the match represents the pinnacle of global football and should be viewed in one of the city’s most recognisable public spaces.
“The most iconic match of the most iconic tournament in the world deserves to be watched in the most iconic park in the world,” Mamdani told reporters.
He said the viewing experience would allow fans to gather in what he described as one of New York’s most iconic locations for a historic sporting moment.
Governor Kathy Hochul said attendance at the watch party would be free of charge, with access determined by lottery. She also said the state has set aside about $6 million to support the event. She added that the park, already a major summer gathering point for residents, would now serve as a major viewing hub for the tournament’s final.
“This is the summertime go-to spot for New Yorkers, and now it’ll be the city’s front row seat to that beautiful game,” Hochul said.
The final will take place just outside New York at MetLife Stadium, which will be renamed New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament in line with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) sponsorship rules.
The World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
