NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 20: A guest attends Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Fanatics)
Fanatics Fest, the world’s largest sporting festival hosted at the Javits Center, announced that it will partner with FIFA for their annual event from July 16-19, ahead of the 2026 World Cup Final to be played at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
“FIFA is proud to collaborate with Fantastic Fest NYC during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Weekend,” FIFA chief event operations officer Heimo Schirgi said. “By combining sport, culture, and entertainment, this partnership reflects our ambition to engage global audiences beyond the pitch and to create memorable experiences that resonate with fans around the world.”
FIFA will be featured throughout the four-day gathering through immersive experiences, appearances of soccer legends, FIFA World Cup finals programming, and more. FIFA will also play a pivotal role in the event’s multi-day live competition, Fanatics Games, a high-stakes, cross-sport competition where everyday fans go head-to-head with some of the top athletes in all of sports for nearly a $2 million grand prize.
As part of the competition, FIFA will activate a soccer-specific challenge in which participants face off in a penalty shootout against a goalkeeper of their choosing. Fanatics Games, on the other hand, will bring together 50 professional athletes, celebrities, and 50 everyday fans in a scored competition that blends performance with an arena-level atmosphere.
“The FIFA World Cup weekend is bigger than one match — it’s a global cultural moment. Fanatics Fest is built to meet that energy, and FIFA’s presence allows us to create a festival experience that feels connected to the scale, excitement, and global passion surrounding the FIFA World Cup,” CEO of Fanatics Fest, Lance Fensterman, said.
For more on Fanatics Fest and the World Cup, visit AMNY.com