New York businesses get ready to welcome influx of World Cup fans

As the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws near, business and restaurants in New York are preparing for an influx of fans and tourists ahead of the official start next week.

There’s less than a week to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off.

The tournament is being hosted across North America, with games in the US, Mexico and Canada.

Vendors and restaurants in New York are gearing up for an influx of tourists.

Mickey Voll is Marketing Director for Pelé Soccer, a football store in the middle of Times' Square.

Voll says they've doubled inventories, with jerseys that bear the names of famed players selling out fast.

“The typical players like Messi, so Argentina jerseys with Messi on the back or the printout of Messi, Ronaldo jerseys for Portugal, Mbappe for France," Voll says. "And then the special pieces like the Brazilian jersey with Jordan collaboration, unfortunately Jamaica didn't qualify but Jamaica had a specific piece with Bob Marley family. All those specific jerseys, they were flying over the counter.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of restaurants across the city will be offering special meals for $26.

It’s an initiative launched by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to provide reasonably priced food during the tournament. Participating restaurants in the five boroughs will also have a plastic World Cup tumbler for each borough.

Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue is planning to offer a set of its classic smoked chicken wings and the Texas Two-step cocktail.

“I think $26 in New York nowadays is for, you know, a good-sized meal and a large drink, is a bargain," says Mathew Glazier, the restaurant's owner.

"Things have gotten so, so expensive. Food prices, you know, everybody, no matter where you are, knows what's going on with food costs in this world. And, I think it's an opportunity for us to showcase what we do along with other restaurants. New York, look, there are great restaurants in New York from barbecue to everything else anybody could want. So it gives people an opportunity, if they're here for a while, to try different things and still have some money for other things to do.”

The city is bracing for possible overlapping match days with the World Cup in full swing, and the NBA finals where New York’s home team, the Knicks, are playing. If the NBA finals head into a sixth game on June 16, that would overlap on the same day as the France vs. Senegal match.

“So that's going gonna be a crazy day at Penn Station which is going to be fun” says Voll, anticipating the city flooded with celebrations.

On Thursday, New York authorities announced plan