Amid Democrats' war against FIFA, Mamdani announces free fan zones for 2026 World Cup

The fight between Democrats in New York and New Jersey against FIFA over the price of transportation to the 2026 World Cup did not faze New York's mayor, the socialist Zohran Mamdani, who decided to take a different path than his colleagues, opening his arms to the tournament and announcing five free fan zones, one in each borough of the city, as an alternative for New Yorkers who can't afford tickets and associated tournament expenses.

"These events were not initially set to be free, but the world's game should belong to the world," Mamdani said. "Soccer is a game that was born out of the working class. The ticket prices that we are seeing are not ones that many working people could even dream of affording. Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on Earth without dipping into their savings."

Generally, despite Mamdani being a socialist, World Cups usually have exclusive areas for fans to gather and enjoy tournament-related activities. The mayor of New York, who considers himself a soccer fan, admitted that he thoroughly enjoyed the fan zones during "the first World Cup" he attended. The Democratic politician has gone viral answering soccer questions on social media, proving he is closer to the game than politicians from traditional parties.

Authorities announced that the events will be held at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, a shopping mall near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and a minor league baseball stadium in Staten Island. The events will include live broadcasts of games, food vendors and cultural programming.

New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, accompanied Mamdani at the announcement.

"These free fan events across all five boroughs bring the excitement of the game to every New Yorker in every community — supporting our small businesses and bringing New Yorkers together," Hochul said.

A war against FIFA

The announcement came amid a dispute that has been escalating for weeks between New York Democrats, New Jersey and FIFA. The trigger was the revelation that NJ Transit - New Jersey's transportation provider - plans to charge more than $100 for a round-trip ticket from New York's Pennsylvania Station to MetLife Stadium, where the region's eight World Cup matches, including the July 19 final, will be played. The same ride normally costs $12.90.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill was the first to react, accusing FIFA of not providing "a single dollar for transportation" while taking in some $11 billion in revenue from the tournament. Senator Chuck Schumer was also highly critical, calling the situation blackmail and demanding that FIFA shoulder the transportation costs for host cities.

FIFA responded by recalling that the agreement signed in 2023 stated that all match ticket holders will be able to access transportation at cost price, not free, but at actual operating cost. The agency also pointed out that it has been working with host cities for years to develop transportation and mobility plans.

As the dispute continues, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.