The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun in New York and New Jersey, where the tournament final will be played this July in East Rutherford. And later this summer, the U.S. Open returns to Queens.
For many New Yorkers, these headline events can feel out of reach, especially as ticket prices climb and sponsorship opportunities skew corporate.
Public officials and corporate sponsors say they’re trying to widen access ahead of the games through ticket giveaways, fan viewing zones and grant opportunities. Whether those initiatives meaningfully expand access or simply soften the optics of an expensive mega-event effectively inaccessible by locals, here’s what’s available so far.
If you’re a youth-serving nonprofit:
Airbnb is distributing 1,000 World Cup tickets
Last Thursday at the Jamaica YMCA in Queens, Airbnb announced it would give 1,000 free FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets to young people across New York and New Jersey.
Airbnb staff told Epicenter NYC that tickets will be distributed through more than a dozen youth-serving organizations over the coming weeks. But when asked, staff declined to specify when or how organizations would be chosen beyond some selections from Airbnb’s network of community partners.
The first recipients were students from M.S. 217Q Robert A. Van Wyck in Queens, who were surprised during a soccer clinic at the YMCA with the announcement that they would attend a World Cup match.
At the event, Jay Carney, Airbnb’s global head of policy and communications, said the company wanted the tournament to reach a wide range of neighborhoods and “not just the ones that already see plenty of tourists and visitors.”
The initiative is separate from Airbnb’s previously announced $1.2 million investment in soccer mini-pitches across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and New Jersey. One of those mini-pitches is expected to be unveiled this week.
If you’re a small business owner:
Verizon’s World Cup pitch competition
Verizon is running a nationwide small business competition tied to the World Cup, in which business owners will pitch their wares or services to prospective customers. The deadline to apply is May 18 at 11:59 p.m.
Eligibility:
- Be 18 or older
- Own a small business in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Have signed up for Verizon’s free Small Business Digital Ready platform
- Have completed at least one of Verizon’s “Winning Customers” course or event by May 18. The “Winning Customers” track includes workshops and online classes focused on marketing, customer acquisition and sales strategy.
Competition process:
- Eligible applicants upload a 60-second video to social media (Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube) explaining how Verizon’s Digital Ready platform helped them position their business to win the competition.
- Verizon will choose 20 business owners to compete in regional semifinal in-person pitch events in one of four cities from June 19 to June 26: Kansas City, Houston, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Five business owners will compete in each.
- Four runners-up from each regional semifinal competition will receive two tickets each to a local FIFA World Cup game.
- The winning business owner from each region will receive paid travel to the final round of live-pitching on July 17 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, which will be held in what is normally called MetLife Stadium, but which is being renamed New York-New Jersey Stadium for the tournament.
- Judges for the final round will include two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Carli Lloyd and leaders from the small business community.
Winners receive:
- Tickets to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, including the July 19 final
- The winner of the final round of the competition will receive a $20,000 cash prize
- National exposure and business mentorship opportunities
If you don’t have World Cup tickets:
Watch matches at fan viewing zones
One of the biggest free public viewing options so far is coming to Queens. As Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced last week, the New York/New Jersey Host Committee will turn venues across the city into a World Cup fan zone where visitors can watch matches live on giant screens.
Locations and dates:
- The Bronx: June 13 to June 14: Bronx Terminal Market
- Brooklyn: June 13 to July 19: Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Queens: June 17 to June 28: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
- Staten Island: June 29 to July 2: Staten Island University Hospital Community Park
- Manhattan: July 6 to July 19 (including the finals): Rockefeller Center
The fan zone is expected to include:
- Live broadcasts of World Cup matches
- Entertainment and cultural programming
- Sponsor activations
- Food and fan events
“These events were not initially set to be free, but the world’s game should belong to the world, and so we’ve made the decision together for fans to be able to watch that together without having to spend a dollar,” Mamdani said at the press conference. While he initially called for FIFA to set aside discounted World Cup tickets for New Yorkers, those tickets have not materialized.
If you’re looking for lower-cost tennis access:
The U.S. Open, which happens in Queens every summer, already offers several free-entry options many New Yorkers overlook.
Dates: Aug. 23 to 29
Tennis fans can enter the grounds for free and watch:
- Qualifying matches
- Player practices
- Open training sessions
- Fan events and entertainment
Date: Aug. 23
The U.S. Open’s annual youth-focused event celebrates the life and legacy of tennis champion and icon Arthur Ashe. Ashe was the first Black man to win the U.S. Open (in 1968), followed by the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his advocacy on civil rights, HIV/AIDS and anti-apartheid campaigns.
Around the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, fans can enjoy:
- Watching their favorite players practice
- Musical performances and player appearances on the Fountain Plaza Stage
- Interactive activities
