July 21st, 2026 - A reported 50,000 fans filled Central Park's Great Lawn for a free World Cup Final watch party on July 19, watching Spain edge Argentina 1-0 on four 57-foot LED screens.
The event, hosted by the advocacy group Global Citizen, offered a free alternative to the roughly 80,000 fans who paid up to $10,000 to watch the same game in person at MetLife Stadium 15 miles away, in what was considered the most expensive sporting event ever held. Tickets to the Central Park watch party were distributed by lottery, though a $1,200 VIP tent gave those willing to pay upgraded access on the Lawn itself.
The afternoon also marked the World Cup's first-ever halftime show, a starry lineup that included Shakira, Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS, Coldplay, and the Muppets, produced in part by Global Citizen. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who attended the game in person at MetLife, praised the free Central Park viewing as proof that the tournament belonged to everyone, regardless of ticket price.
Read more from the WestSideRag article.