NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Mayor Eric Adams said New York City and New Jersey "scored the goal" after snagging the FIFA World Cup final match in 2026.
"It's huge!" Adams told 1010 WINS' Susan Richard in an interview Monday.
The mayor said he's among the many New Yorkers who've caught soccer fever as anticipation builds for the big tournament in two years.
"We're at a feverous pitch, and trust me before this is all over, you will be deep into soccer," he said.
The New York–New Jersey partnership beat out Texas and California to host world soccer's showcase game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. FIFA made the announcement Sunday in Miami.
Adams and Gov. Phil Murphy have "collaborated from the day we made the announcement over at Liberty Park" in June 2022, the mayor said. "It is a good collaboration and coronation that we're going to have."
Playing host to World Cup games will mean 1 million visitors and $2 billion in economic revenue for the New York City region as soccer fanatics descend on the home of the New York Jets and Giants.
"FIFA was clear," the mayor said. "What sold them was our ability for public safety and the fan experience."
Adams noted that the global event will attract many more than soccer fans, with people coming from all over to be a part of history and take in the spectacle.
"Our role is to coordinate with New Jersey to make sure that we have a great fan experience," Adams said, "because that is one of the most important aspects of it—not who's sitting only in the stadium but who's in the region picking up the energy that we have in this diverse region here."
FIFA allocated the opener of the 39-day tournament to Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11. Seventy-eight of 104 matches will be played in the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.