A fan fest is set to take place at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, for the entirety of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 104 matches.
Fan fests, equipped with large screens for viewing games, have been a staple of World Cup events since 2006. While plans for a fan fest in New York City’s Corona Park have been scrapped, there remains a possibility for festivities in Central Park. However, the Jersey City event is confirmed and ready to go.
“I believe this fan fest will be the only one in the country that will operate throughout all World Cup matches, rather than just during those games happening in our immediate area,” said Tammy Murphy, the spouse of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and chair of the New York/New Jersey host committee, in a recent interview.
The recent appointment of Murphy as chair was announced alongside the hiring of Alex Lasry, a former executive with the Milwaukee Bucks, as the CEO of the host committee. Lasry leads a dedicated staff of around ten individuals working full-time on the event preparations.
The 2026 World Cup will see collaboration between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, marking an expansion from 32 to 48 participating nations. The tournament kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, with the championship match slated for July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Matches are set to be hosted at eleven venues in the U.S., three in Mexico, and two in Canada, with all games in the U.S. starting from the quarterfinals onward.
In a shift from past practices, FIFA is now directly managing the World Cup event logistics rather than relying on a local organizing committee. Requests for comments from FIFA officials were not answered.
The host committee’s responsibilities will include working in tandem with various government levels, including federal, state, and local authorities. “Our role does not encompass game operations within the stadium. The actual soccer matches fall under FIFA’s jurisdiction. Our duties are focused on collaborating with FIFA related to security measures and managing our daily tasks, which involve securing finances to facilitate the fan fests, coordinating our security and transportation efforts, and engaging with local communities to communicate the benefits surrounding the event,” explained Lasry.
Lasry previously served as the U.S. Commerce Department’s deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism for two years, until last month. He emphasized the committee’s goal of ensuring the tournament leaves a lasting legacy.
The 1994 World Cup in the U.S. resulted in a surplus of approximately $50 million, which was redirected to create the U.S. Soccer Foundation, dedicated to promoting soccer in underrepresented communities.
Additionally, Lasry stated that the host committee would coordinate with FIFA’s various sponsorship partners and manage agreements with regional organizations. He also indicated that the upcoming semifinals and championship rounds of the first expanded Club World Cup, to be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford this July, will act as a test run for the 2026 World Cup operations.
“This experience will allow us to evaluate security and transportation logistics, identifying successful elements and areas for improvement as we move forward,” he added.
