Free FIFA World Cup Events in NYC

Can’t afford a ticket to one of the FIFA Wold Cup events in New York City? No worries. There are hundreds of FREE watch parties, including in Central Park, plus restaurant dining deals and more.

Here’s your ultimate guide to FIFA in New York City.

Image courtesy Logos-World

With tickets as much as $2 Million, commuter trains between NYC and Met Stadium in New Jersey $100 or more each way, no on-site parking, it’s good to know that NYC’s mayor and NY State’s governor have our backs, and have organized FREE places in NYC to watch the games in gi-normous screens.

There’s at least one FREE location in each of NYC’s five boroughs, and each one also offers local food vendors and more.

The first set of matches are Sunday June 14: Germany vs. Curaçao (1:00pm), Netherlands vs. Japan (4:00pm), and Côte d’Ivoire vs. Ecuador (7:00pm).

The five World Cup fan zones will be at –

Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens from June 11-27,
Rockefeller Center in Manhattan from July 6-19,
Bronx Terminal Market from June 13-14,
Staten Island University Hospital Community Park from June 29-July 2, and
Brooklyn Bridge Park from June 13-19.

Also, The Staten Island Ferry Hawks baseball stadium will be converted into a fan zone where as many as 10,000 people can watch the matches on a big screen and share the excitement without having to shell out big bucks to go to MetLife Stadium.

Free tickets are on a first come, first serve bases on the FIFA New York New Jersey website,

Also at Rockefeller Center – June 11 through July 19 –

The FIFA Museum Presented by Hyundai at 50 Rockefeller Plaza is open June 11 through July 19, offering an exhibition that celebrates nearly a century of FIFA World Cup™ history.

Admission is free with a reservation, and Top of the Rock ticket holders receive priority access.

The Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Store at at 45 Rockefeller Plaza on 51st Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

The store features official tournament merchandise, New York City and New Jersey host city gear, team jerseys, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, scarves, mascot products, accessories, and more.

World Cup viewing events throughout New York State include at Stony Brook University on Long Island beginning June 12 and Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla on June 19.

Tickets are available on ILoveNY.com.

July 19 – The biggest FREE watch party of them all is in Central Park, on the Great Lawn, with room for 50,000 of your closest friends, for the World Cup final game.

It’s sponsored by Global Citizen, which also stages the biggest free concert of the season, with bonafide superstars like Shakira.

Set in the heart of Central Park, the watch party will transform the Great Lawn into a world-class outdoor viewing experience, featuring three giant LED screens, various interactive partner activations, and immersive sound throughout the venue.

Entertainment programming featuring local NYC DJs from iHeartRadio will keep the crowd energized throughout the day.

The watch party includes the star-stuldded half-time show, featuring Shakira, Madonna and BDS.

You need a ticket to attend. No ticket, no admission.

Sign-ups are underway now, as a lottery.

Graphic of FREE World Cup watch party in Queens — Graphic courtesy NYSCI

FREE Soccer Sundays in Queens

Stop by the NYSCI museum for an unforgettable day of soccer with a 30′ Outdoor LED screen, and affordable food and drink curated by the Queens Night Market.

lease note: no umbrellas, outside alcohol, or glass bottles are allowed.

This experience is presented by the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office, NYC Tourism + Conventions, Resorts World NYC, the New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Economic Development Corporation.

Check back, as we continue to add FREE watch parties and other events as we hear about them.

Image courtesy Logos-World

FIFA Schedule in NYC

Eight matches will be played at MetLife Stadium in northern New Jersey, which is being referred to as New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament.

The schedule consists of five group stage matches, one round-of-32 match, one round-of-16 match and the final.

June 13: Group stage: Brazil vs. Morocco
June 16: Group stage: France vs. Senegal
June 22: Group stage: Norway vs. Senegal
June 25: Group stage: Ecuador vs. Germany
June 27: Group stage: Panama vs. England
June 30: Round of 32
July 5: Round of 16
July 19: FIFA World Cup Final

NYC $26 Restaurant Deals for FIFA

Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, July 19 – There will be $26 multi-course restaurant deals at more than 300 NYC restaurants, to encourage FIFA fans and others to eat and drink in NYC’s restaurants and bars.

The program has the ambition of the city’s famous twice-a-year Restaurant Week specials, but this one is even less expensive.

The specials are via the New York City Tourism + Conventions bureau.

Participating restaurants and bars will offer $26 specials is being dubbed Five Boroughs Winners Specials, and can be prix fixe, food and drink combinations, or drink deals.

Participating restaurants include –

Staten Island brewery
Kills Boro Brewing Company,
Harlem comfort food restaurant Red Rooster,
Rockefeller Center Korean restaurant Naro,
Jackson Heights Italian restaurant Armondo’s,
Little Neck Tunisian bistro La Baraka,
Texas-style barbecue restaurant Morgan’s in Prospect Heights.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.