Despite the fact that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is being held in the United States, there is little sign of football fever in the country's largest city. According to Baku-born New York resident Mark Koganov, the biggest sporting event for locals right now is not the World Cup at all.
The member of the Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan Swimming Federation and international referee shared his observations in an interview with İdman.Biz.
"You have to understand that New York is a huge metropolis that lives its own life. You can hardly feel that the city is hosting World Cup matches, even though they are technically being played in neighboring New Jersey. I've seen advertisements in Times Square, but I can't say the city is living and breathing the World Cup.
Right now, the biggest sporting event in New York is not the FIFA World Cup, but the NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks are playing for the first time in 35 years. Coincidentally, another game in the series will take place on Saturday — the same day as the World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco. And here, there is no question which event will receive more attention in the local media," Koganov said.
According to him, another factor reducing fan interest is the extremely high cost of tickets.
"Everyone is very disappointed with ticket prices. As is well known, tickets were initially sold through FIFA's official platform, but they were quickly bought up by scalpers. Here, that is a legal business. While official prices ranged from $300 to $1,500, tickets from resellers for a match such as Brazil vs Morocco can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000," Koganov explained.
He added that prices for knockout-stage matches are even higher, while tickets for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium start at around $30,000–35,000.
New York authorities even organized a lottery that offered 1,000 tickets at a special price of $50 each.
"The lottery opened at 10:00 a.m., and by 10:01 a.m. applications were already closed. It was more of a populist initiative because everyone understood that the chances of winning were about the same as hitting the jackpot in a lottery," Koganov noted.
Another issue, according to him, concerns transportation and access to the stadium.
"Fans will not be able to drive directly to the stadium perimeter, whether by private car, taxi or public transport. Special transportation hubs have been set up, from where shuttle buses will take spectators to the venue. And that service is not free — it costs $95. Those who prefer a more personalized option can reserve a vehicle that will be allowed to park at a shopping center about 15 minutes away from the stadium. That parking option costs $250," he said.
World Cup matches in the New York area are being held at MetLife Stadium, located in the state of New Jersey. The venue is scheduled to host five group-stage matches, one Round of 32 match, one Round of 16 match, as well as the semifinals and the final of the tournament.
