Argentine fans brought the World Cup carnival back to the heart of New York ahead of their blockbuster clash against Spain on Sunday, reigniting interest in the tournament after it dipped with the US exit. Thousands of blue and white-striped Argentina fans flocked to the busy tourist hubs of central Manhattan ahead of the final game over the Hudson River in New Jersey.
Revived Enthusiasm
Local enthusiasm for the tournament had fallen away after co-hosts the United States were knocked out by Belgium on July 6 and tickets for the final became the costliest in US sporting history. Despite a deadly Legionnaire's disease outbreak and extreme weather in the days before the final, Argentine fans were out in force, making their way to the 82,500-capacity MetLife stadium.
Fan Reactions
Many fans gathered in the city's informal tournament hub, Times Square, rekindling the World Cup buzz. The city's Penn Station was a sea of Argentine jerseys, most emblazoned with Lionel Messi's name. Spain fans swarmed around Madison Square Garden, with one clutching a replica trophy. Despite some tepid reactions on the streets away from Midtown Manhattan, something of a World Cup effect has been witnessed at non-World Cup matches.
Women's team Gotham FC recorded the biggest turnout for a women's sporting event in New York history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani made headlines when he watched England succumb to Argentina with inmates at the city's notorious Rikers Island jail. "We said from the beginning that the World Cup belongs to New Yorkers. This summer, we proved it," Mamdani said ahead of the final.
