‘Soccer streets’ coming to 50 NYC public school blocks
Credit: Kara McCurdy / Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
Open streets outside 50 public schools across New York City will be transformed into soccer pitches ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer. On Monday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced “Soccer Streets,” a traveling series of field days that will convert car-free streets into soccer pitches, art stations, and block-party celebrations. The initiative launched on May 1 and will visit a different school each day through the end of the school year on June 26.
As part of the series, students will play pickup matches, run drills, paint team flags, and celebrate the arrival of the world’s biggest sporting event in the tri-state area.
New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is set to host five group-stage matches on June 13, 16, 22, 26, and 27, a round of 32 match on June 30, a round of 16 match on July 5, and the final on July 19, as 6sqft previously reported.
“The World Cup is coming to NYC, and we want every kid in this city to experience the joy of the game,” Mamdani said. “Soccer Streets takes that energy directly into our neighborhoods—closing streets to cars, opening them to play and making sure this celebration isn’t reserved for people who can afford a ticket.”
“Open Streets is one of the best tools we have to reclaim space for the public and these activations are another step toward bringing the World Cup to our young people,” he added.
The initiative builds on the Mamdani administration’s continued efforts to create World Cup-related events across the city. Last month, Zohran Mamdani announced a free, citywide lineup of official NYNJ Fan Events across all five boroughs. At each location, New Yorkers will be able to enjoy live match screenings, cultural programming, and interactive experiences.
The city is partnering with Street Lab and Chobani to bring Soccer Streets to schools across the five boroughs. Schools interested in participating should contact Street Lab for more information and to get involved.
“Open Streets for Schools hold a special promise for the future of the city,” Leslie Davol, executive director of Street Lab, said. “We’re seeing students, families, teachers, and neighbors, working side-by-side to transform streets into places to gather, bringing learning from out behind the walls, and inspiring the whole community.”
Soccer Streets is part of the city’s Department of Transportation Open Streets for Schools program, which allows schools to close adjacent streets to traffic for recess, outdoor learning, and safer pickup and drop-off. Several participating Soccer Streets locations are already Open Streets schools.
Applications for the 2026–27 school year are now open, as the city encourages more schools to participate in the program.
RELATED:
