The NY/NJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee has unveiled New Jersey’s Liberty State Park as the official site of the FIFA “Fan Fest” for the region, offering sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor.
The Fan Fest, unveiled on June 11 to mark the one-year countdown to the beginning of the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US, will have a capacity of up to 45,000 spectators and will be open for all 39 days of the event.
The site will broadcast all 104 World Cup matches next summer, including all eight games at MetLife Stadium.
The Host Committee has partnered with Live Nation New York to produce live events and entertainment at the site throughout the tournament, especially on rest days during the knockout stages of the tournament when there are no matches scheduled.
The site will also feature countless food options and soccer activations, with more than 20 giant screens set to be scattered throughout the giant space in order to broadcast every single game of the tournament.
A number of smaller sites are set to be announced in the coming weeks, several locations set to be announced in New York City. One location is expected to be unveiled in Central Park.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said at Wednesday’s launch event that the Liberty State Park Fan Festival will be “extraordinary” when it opens for the World Cup next summer, stating that the site will draw soccer fans from both sides of the Hudson.
“Ninety-six matches will not be at MetLife Stadium. And where are people going to go to watch them? A lot of them are going to come right here,” Murphy said at the future site of the Fan Festival on Wednesday.
Murphy said the MLS was born out of the 1994 World Cup in the United States and said the upcoming World Cup next year would have a huge impact on soccer in the country. With MetLife Stadium set to host the World Cup final, Murphy expects regions on both sides of the Hudson to benefit enormously from the event.
Ross Levi, executive director of New York State Tourism, said the staging of eight World Cup games in the NY/NJ region is anticipated to bring more than one million visitors to the region over the course of the 39-day tournament.
He said a number of fans will stay in New York City and added that there is a huge opportunity to showcase everything the city and the state has to offer. He also hopes that New Yorkers will “very much be a part” of the global tournament next summer.
“We also hope that travelers from across the world can make an amazing vacation out of their World Cup visit, whether they’re coming here for an early match or waiting for their team to return to the later rounds,” Levi said Wednesday.
Officials have predicted that the tournament will generate between $2.14 billion and $3.45 billion in economic output for the region, with more than $1 billion of that expected to come from tourism.
Murphy said he does not believe that international tourists will be deterred from traveling to the US for the World Cup next summer in the wake of ICE raids across the country. He said host regions are working closely with FIFA and the Trump Administration to ensure that the tournament is staged in a “welcoming way.”
Alex Lasry, CEO of the Host Committee, is similarly confident that international tourists will flock to the US for the event, previously telling this publication that “big sporting events transcend geopolitics.”
Speaking on Wednesday, Lasry reaffirmed that confidence, stating that people are “really excited” to come to the US next year for the World Cup. He said the Host Committee is striving to ensure that every international tourist that travels to the NY/NJ region has an “incredible time” at the tournament, including at the newly-unveiled Fan Festival.
However, a report released earlier this year indicated that year-on-year tourism to the US had fallen by 12% by March 2025 compared to other years. The World Travel & Tourism Council has also recently forecast that the US economy is on track to lose $12.5 billion in spending in 2025.
Lasry said he is equally confident that international fans will make the 90-minute journey from Midtown Manhattan to Liberty State Park to visit the Fan Festival. Lasry also said the Fan Fest is ideally situated for tourists who decide to stay in New Jersey or other destinations throughout the World Cup.
At present, a journey from Manhattan takes at least 90 minutes, including trips on the PATH and Hoboken Bergen Light Rail System. The nearest public transit station is a 36-minute walk from the site, including a stretch where the sidewalk disappears to be replaced by a dirt track big enough for only one person.
Lasry, however, said the Host Committee will be adding supplemental buses for the event, while also increasing ride-share options at the site.
In a statement, he said that transportation planning for the Fan Festival is currently underway, adding that the Host Committee is actively assessing walkability from nearby transit stops.
“Transportation planning is actively underway, including mobility, wayfinding, and access scenarios for high-traffic times and evening matches,” Lasry said in a statement. “We’re exploring options like shuttle services, assessing walkability from nearby Light Rail stops, and coordinating with transit agencies on extended service. Updates will be shared as plans are finalized.”
The Host Committee has not yet shared if entry for the Fan Fest will be free, but Lasry stated that the committee hopes to make the site accessible for all.
“Final entry details will be shared closer to the event. We are committed to making the event inclusive and accessible, with the goal of encouraging broad community participation,” Lasry stated.
Meanwhile, Wednesday also marked the launch of the Skyline to Shoreline Road Tour, a mobile fan experience that will travel across New York and New Jersey this summer. Featuring soccer zones, music, giveaways, and community storytelling, the tour will appear at festivals, parks, and neighborhood events through Labor Day 2025.
A number of iconic structures throughout the Big Apple were lit up in “liberty green” on Wednesday night to mark the one-year countdown to next year’s World Cup.
