Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined community partners and Queens organizations in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Monday afternoon to launch a series of World Cup watch parties across the borough over the next six weeks.
The watch parties are anchored by a “Soccer Sundays” event at New York Hall of Science hosted in partnership with Queens Market, a massive 5,000-person watch party held every Sunday throughout the World Cup.
Richards has allocated $75,000 in funding – provided by NYC Tourism + Conventions – for five different events across the borough across June and July, with events also planned at MoMA PS1, Queens Borough Hall, Queens Botanical Garden and Pilot House Bar & Grill in Rockaway.
Soccer Sundays will feature a 30-foot screen for all Sundays throughout the tournament, with Queens Night Market setting up around eight stalls at every event to provide culturally-appropriate food offerings. Queens Night Market founder John Wang said he hopes to provide food from nations playing on particular Sundays, adding that he hopes to install a low price point to keep options affordable.
Spaces at the Soccer Sundays watch parties will be given on a first come, first serve basis, with fans encouraged to arrive early on each gameday. Special access will be granted to New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) guests who purchase tickets to the center in advance.
NYSCI President and CEO Lisa Gugenheim said the event aimed to welcome “all World Cup fans” to the outdoor space in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Richards, meanwhile, said the various watch parties across the borough aim to ensure that the World Cup is accessible to everyone as well as ensuring Queens is open to everyone.
“We’re very proud of our diversity, and what more amplifies that message than ensuring that the world’s sport can be seen in every corner of this borough, the world’s borough,” Richards said.
MoMA PS1 will host a World Cup final watch party in its outdoor courtyard on July 19, while Queens Botanical Garden will also host a World Cup final watch party, with space for 1,000 guests. Guests attending the Queens Botanical Garden watch party will also receive free access to the gardens.
Richards also announcd that he will host a World Cup final event outside Queens Borough Hall.
“We’re throwing a community watch party for the World Cup final at the People’s House,” he said.
In the Rockaways, meanwhile, Pilot House Bar & Grill at 1-90 Beach 69th St. will host watch parties for World Cup semi-final matches on July 14 and 15, featuring free face-painting, free ice pops, outdoor lawn games and “most importantly the beach,” according to Richards.
Pilot House owner Amy Tichenor said she is honored to host watch parties at the bar, stating that events are open to fans of all ages.
“Our event will feature activities and entertainment for all ages, creating an opportunity for our neighbors and visitors to come together and celebrate with fans from around the world. We invite you to spend the day at the beach, and then join us at Pilot House Bar & Grill,” Tichener said.
Julie Coker, president and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, said Queens would be the epicenter of soccer culture in New York City for the next six weeks, adding that the tournament can be a tourism driver for neighborhoods across the borough.
“These investments to us are more than just soccer,” Coker said. “They are about neighborhood pride, they are about economic opportunity, they are about showcasing the cultural vibrancy that makes Queens unlike anywhere else in the world.”
NYC Tourism + Conventions President and CEO Julie Coker speaks at the launch. Photo by Shane O’Brien
Richards said the watch parties represent the “next best thing” for fans who have not secured a ticket for one of the eight games at MetLife Stadium this summer.
The watch parties will bolster the official NYNJ World Cup 26 Group Stage HQ, which runs throughout the group stages of the World Cup between June 11 and June 27 at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, just minutes away from the Soccer Sundays watch party.
Soccer Sundays will kick off this Sunday, with screenings of Germany vs Curacao at 1 p.m. followed by Netherlands vs Japan at 4 p.m. and Ivory Coast vs Ecuador at 7 p.m.