Memo to Mamdani: Make This Summer's World Cup A Car-Free Paradise - Streetsblog New York City

"FIFA has contracted with the city to use Times Square as a "fan zone" for manufactured enthusiasm and football hooliganism. Let the bridge-and-tunnel fans from Jersey and Pennsylvania have Times Square. The mayor should counter across the city with car-free streets, music and the food of communities - and video screens showing games of particular interest in each neighborhood."

"New York City football has long been dominated by ethnic social clubs with a huge variety of immigrant origin stories. The Cosmos, the most famous U.S. professional team, began here as the "German-American League" in the 1920s. More recently, the West Indian and Greek communities have had several of their own leagues."

"Letting FIFA suck that enthusiasm into Times Square fan zones where you can buy a $20 beer to line FIFA President Gianni Infantino's pockets won't do much for businesses outside of the center of the city. Let the restaurants and pubs bring their wares, tables and chairs out into the street."

Rather than spending $100 million on free city buses for World Cup attendees paying $2,000 per ticket, the mayor should invest in bringing the tournament's festivities to working-class New Yorkers. The proposal suggests closing streets to cars across multiple neighborhoods to host watch parties featuring music and food from immigrant communities. This approach would counter FIFA's centralized Times Square fan zone by distributing celebrations throughout the city, leveraging New York's rich football heritage rooted in ethnic social clubs and immigrant communities. Neighborhood-based watch parties would benefit local restaurants and businesses while celebrating the city's diverse international character and long tradition of football culture.

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