New Yorkers – Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled an affordable Big Apple-themed World Cup jersey sold for about $50 at the NYC City Store in Manhattan on June 12, and the line for the limited run of 1,500 jerseys wrapped around the block hours after the store opened. Residents w
By the time the NYC City Store opened at 9 a.m., the line for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordable Big Apple-themed World Cup jerseys had already begun to stretch. Many residents had woken at dawn, some playing hooky from work, and most coming as fans of the mayor.
Mamdani unveiled the jerseys this week. selling them for about $50—far below the price of FIFA jerseys topping $150—then opened them for purchase only at the city-government-run NYC City Store location in Manhattan on June 12. By the time the morning wore on, the line wrapped around the block hours after the store opened. A security guard managing the line estimated it could have been thousands of people in total.
Colleen Litchfield. a 30-year-old actor who works in the theater industry. told Business Insider while they waited Friday morning that “our computers are kind of overheating.” Litchfield and their coworker. Cameron Wycoff. 23. had been in line since 7:45 a.m. They held their laptops and took customer service calls while fanning themselves and using fans City Hall had given out to cool down their computers—and themselves—in nearly 90-degree weather.
Peter Bowman. 26. joined the line a little after 10 a.m. calling himself a pop-up “veteran” who is used to waiting in long lines around the city. He brought his work computer in a tote bag, ready to clock in for a software marketing job. He also showed off an Oura Ring he said he got at a recent pop-up. Bowman said making ends meet in New York City is “tough. ” but there’s opportunity if you can get in line at the right time.
Liza Banks Campagna. a content creator and tour guide for the city’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. didn’t mind the wait. She got in line around 7 a.m. and said it took three hours to claim her jersey. Afterward, she took a photo in the jersey with her line mates, adding that the “vibes were immaculate.”.
As the heat pressed on, the line turned into an office annex and a sunscreen station at once. Around 11 a.m., Business Insider spotted at least four people with open laptops attempting to work remotely. Several used soccer-themed paper fans to cool off, while others pulled out sun umbrellas and reapplied sunscreen. City employees handed out water.
The jerseys were designed by local artist Arsh Raziuddin and manufactured in a Brooklyn factory by Mazzi Sports. They came in a limited run: only 1,500 jerseys total were available. There were 500 of each colorway—red-and-blue, black-and-white, and black-and-yellow. Each jersey had the signature NYC World Cup logo on the chest and a “26” on the back. The primary color palette and font style were similar to the branding on Mamdani’s videos, social media, and posters.
Once the line started shrinking, attention shifted to the market. Several jerseys have since been posted on resale websites for $900 or more, and a bundle of two was listed for $1,400.
Mamdani framed the drop as access, not just merchandise. In a press release, he said, “Jerseys represent more than just the team you support.” He added that they are “about pride in where you come from and who you are,” and that “nobody is priced out.”
Robin Blosvern-Ruddy, a native New Yorker, was farther back in the line when Business Insider spoke with her. She said she would have gotten there earlier, but had to drop her kids off.
Two women described different ways the day’s timing mattered. Jessica Nguyen, 34, picked the black-and-yellow jersey. She said she could wait so long because she didn’t have a work call until the afternoon. Her friends, she said, had to rearrange their work schedules. “We are all really privileged to work from home,” Nguyen said in biotech. She also said. “Maybe he’ll do another drop that feels a little more equitable. ” hoping Mamdani offers another chance for New Yorkers to get jerseys. perhaps on a weekend.
Saku Gopinath, 28, arrived for the drop and left with two red-and-blue jerseys—for her and a friend—feeling ecstatic. “It feels good to actually walk away with something. ” she said. adding that she’s waited in lines before only to be told there’s nothing left. After scoring a jersey, she said she was heading to her work shift.
Beyond the merch, City Hall has also been working to make the World Cup more accessible for residents and visitors. Last month, Mamdani announced the release of 1,000 $50 game tickets through a lottery system. Bowman said he voted for Mamdani and is an avid soccer fan. but he didn’t get World Cup tickets; even so. he said he was “glad” City Hall was “doing that.”.
Mamdani’s broader affordability messaging has followed the sports season into summer. He has worked with local businesses to organize free programming, pick-up games, and watch parties around the five boroughs. That effort comes alongside ongoing efforts by the mayor’s team to organize free NBA Finals watch parties for Knicks fans in parks and centralized streets.
While the jersey drop was pitched as a fix for pricing pressure. not everyone felt it from the front of the line. One 24-year-old New Yorker—who didn’t share her full name because her job didn’t know she was clocking in from the line—put the mood plainly: “Affording New York?. That’s an oxymoron.” Far from the front, she still held on to hope. “If the Knicks can come back from 30 points. anything’s possible. ” she said. referring to the historic 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the Finals on Wednesday.
Zohran Mamdani NYC City Store World Cup jerseys New York City politics affordability agenda Mazzi Sports Arsh Raziuddin resale market limited edition merch FIFA jersey prices lottery tickets