Massive free World Cup Final watch party coming to Central Park
Hochul, Mamdani announce massive World Cup watch party in Central Park
On Sunday, July 19, Central Park will host a massive, free watch party for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final.
NEW YORK CITY - New York City is gearing up for the biggest soccer match of the decade, and you won’t need a multi-thousand-dollar ticket to be part of the action.
What we know:
Central Park will host a massive, free watch party for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final on Sunday, July 19. Accommodating up to 50,000 fans, the event is set to be one of the largest free World Cup watch parties in the world.
The Great Lawn will be transformed into a fan zone with three multi-jumbo LED screens to watch the match, live entertainment and local food vendors. On-air personalities Charlamagne tha God and Elvis Duran will also emcee the festivities.
The final match kicks off at 3 p.m. on July 19, but fans can head into the event starting at noon.
How to get tickets
What you can do:
Ticketing for the event will be handled by Global Citizen through a free lottery system that opens at 10 a.m. June 11 and closes on July 16.
To ensure the event serves the local community, 20% of all tickets are reserved specifically for local nonprofit organizations and NYC Service volunteers.
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What they're saying:
The mega-event was announced on Monday by New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, alongside leaders from the NYNJ Host Committee, Global Citizen and the Central Park Conservancy.
"You shouldn’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to be part of the World Cup. Under our administration, you don’t have to," Mamdani said. "This is a once-in-a-generation event, and working-class New Yorkers deserve to experience it, celebrate it, and benefit from it."
Hochul echoed the excitement, noting that if New Yorkers can't make it inside the stadium, the state is bringing the stadium to them. "New Yorkers will get to experience watching at the biggest watch party in the world in one of the greatest parks in the world," Hochul said.
‘FIFA Arena’
Dig deeper:
Officials also cut the ribbon on "FIFA Arena," a temporary pop-up mini-soccer pitch located in Central Park from June 10 through July 18.
It will provide a free place for New Yorkers of all ages to play throughout the tournament, offering youth clinics, community tournaments and open-play sessions.
Fans can find the full schedule of FIFA Arena programming and events at Street Soccer USA's website.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the Office of the New York City Mayor.