New York Mayor on 2026 World Cup: 'I was asked in the street about tickets for the Morocco and Brazil match'

Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assembly member, has highlighted the significant interest surrounding the match between the Moroccan and Brazilian national teams in the first round of the 2026 World Cup group stage. He confirmed that numerous New York citizens are stopping him in the street to inquire about how to obtain tickets for the highly anticipated encounter.

Mamdani stated in his address: "We have an incredible opportunity. The biggest sporting event in terms of viewership in the world is coming here, to New York City and New Jersey, and some New Yorkers have already started stopping me in the street asking me to help them get tickets. One man even asked me how he could get tickets for the Brazil and Morocco match, and I replied: 'I'm still looking.'"

He continued: "I'm obsessed with football. I attended the World Cup myself in South Africa in 2010, and I can tell you that, besides crying in the stands when Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty against Uruguay, my fondest memories weren't just inside the stadiums, but outside them as well. They were moments when I was just a fan moving between cities and fan zones that were vibrant in a way I had never seen before."

Mamdani added: "We want to seize every possible opportunity to make this event a true moment of celebration, and also an opportunity for small businesses to introduce themselves to visitors, who might think New York is limited to just a few neighborhoods, only to discover instead that it is a complete city with all its parts."

The Moroccan national team is placed in Group C of the 2026 World Cup, alongside Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland.