FIFA is getting ready for travel troubles during the World Cup after New York announces a rare NBA event not seen in over a hundred years.
The 2026 World Cup is kicking off on June 11 in Mexico City and Zapopan, with the first games in Canada and the United States happening the next day. The U.S. team, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, will play their first home game on June 11 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
Most of the action will be in the United States, with 11 of the 16 venues located there. The final game will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
There’s been a lot of talk about travel costs between New York City and the Meadowlands. NJ Transit caught worldwide attention when they announced a 1000% price increase for trips to the eight World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium. However, the NJ Transit CEO has denied any price gouging.
MetLife’s first World Cup game will be on June 13, when Brazil plays Morocco, followed by France vs. Senegal on June 16. That day is expected to be very busy for train travel across the Hudson and Hackensack rivers.
Meanwhile, the NFL is in its off-season, and the New Jersey Devils didn’t make the NHL playoffs after a tough season. But the NBA Playoffs could bring extra crowds to Manhattan’s Penn Station since Madison Square Garden is right next door. The New York Knicks are set to play Game 6 of the NBA Finals there on June 16.
The Knicks will face the San Antonio Spurs for the NBA title after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder in earlier rounds. Only one of their potential home games overlaps with a World Cup match, as the schedule was adjusted to avoid clashing with the U.S. team’s first game.
Coach Mike Brown’s Knicks finished third in the Eastern Conference during the 2025-26 regular season and have been strong in the playoffs. They haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 1998-99 and won their two championships back in the 1970s.
The Knicks hope to win before needing a Game 6—they’ve won 12 of 14 postseason games, including sweeps against Philadelphia and Cleveland.
With all this happening, New York City will be very busy during this time. Game 6 at Madison Square Garden starts at 8:30 p.m., while the France vs. Senegal match kicks off earlier at 3:00 p.m.