NEW YORK – A fan fest at Liberty State Park in Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey, can be open for all 104 video games of the 2026 World Cup.
Fan fests with massive video screens have been part of every World Cup’s group since 2006. Plans to have one in New York Metropolis’s Corona Park now not are transferring ahead, however festivities in Central Park stays potential. The one in Jersey Metropolis is about.
“That’s going to be the one fan fest, I consider, throughout the nation that’s going to be up and working for all video games of the World Cup versus simply the video games which might be taking place in our area,” Tammy Murphy, spouse of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and chair of the New York/New Jersey host committee’s administrators, mentioned throughout an interview Monday.
Murphy’s appointment as chair was introduced Tuesday together with the hiring of Alex Lasry, a former Milwaukee Bucks government and son of former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, as CEO of the host committee. He heads a fulltime employees of about 10.
The World Cup can be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The event, expanded to 48 nations from 32, opens June 11 in Mexico Metropolis and the closing can be July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Video games can be performed at 11 U.S. venues, three in Mexico and two in Canada, with all matches within the U.S. from the quarterfinals on.
“The ultimate is superior to have right here and it’s a enormous alternative not only for FIFA to market itself, however I believe extra importantly for the New York/New Jersey area to market itself because the place to do enterprise, because the place to do occasions and because the heart for sports activities and leisure on this planet,” Lasry mentioned.
FIFA is working the World Cup itself not like prior to now, when an area organizing committee was accountable for logistics. FIFA didn’t reply to a request for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Heimo Schirgi, chief working officer of the event, to debate the World Cup.
The host committee will coordinate with federal, state and native governments.
“We’re not going to essentially be dealing with what goes on contained in the stadium,” Lasry mentioned. “The soccer match, that is going to be loads of FIFA. We’re going to be working with FIFA on safety and our day-to-day obligations are to boost cash to assist placed on the fan fests, to guarantee that our safety and transportation are all set after which additionally ensuring that we’re partaking with the communities to form of clarify to everybody what the advantages of this are going to be.”
Lasry, the U.S. Commerce Division’s deputy assistant secretary for journey and tourism for 2 years till final month, mentioned the committee will work to make sure the event leaves a legacy.
World Cup USA 1994, which ran the earlier World Cup within the U.S. for FIFA, transferred about $50 million in surplus cash from the event to a newly established U.S Soccer Basis, which has centered on funding the sport in underserved communities.
FIFA has varied tiers of sponsors and Lasry mentioned the host committee will work with FIFA’s companions and be accountable offers with regional entities.
Lasry mentioned the semifinals and championship of the primary expanded Membership World Cup at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium this July can be a dry run for the 2026 occasion.
“We’ll be capable to have a look at it from a safety and transportation standpoint on, OK, the place did issues go very well? The place do we’ve got some gaps? What went effectively however that we will do higher?” Lasry mentioned.
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