LinkNYC World – New York City’s LinkNYC kiosks will begin streaming 2026 World Cup games on hundreds of 55-inch screens every Friday starting June 19, starting with the United States match. The free public viewing push spans more than 200 locations across all five boroughs as
When New Yorkers step off the subway or cut through the sidewalk traffic of daily errands. they may not have to go searching for a screen anymore. Starting Friday. June 19. hundreds of 55-inch displays attached to the city’s modernized pay-phone system will stream 2026 World Cup games—right where people already pass by.
The program is built around LinkNYC, the kiosk network that has free WiFi and calling service. City Hall says the World Cup screenings will begin with the United States’ game, with public viewing across more than 200 LinkNYC locations.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a lifelong soccer fan, framed the effort as a chance to watch beyond stadiums. “New York is a city of sidewalks as much as it is stadiums. and this summer the World Cup belongs to both. ” he said in a statement. “Whether you’re heading home from work. meeting friends. or just walking to the bodega. you’ll have a chance to stop. watch and share in a moment that brings incredible soccer moments directly to you.”.
The viewings are scheduled to run every Friday match day, ending with the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, played at MetLife Stadium in nearby New Jersey. City Hall says about 10% of the system will show games in all five boroughs.
That expansion builds on the way LinkNYC has already tested live sports in public spaces. The city says the Knicks were streamed on LinkNYC kiosks during their championship run—described as the first time the system broadcasted live sports. Earlier in June, dozens of LinkNYC kiosks streamed Game 4 between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. Game 5. when the Knicks secured the championship during an away game in Texas. was streamed on 130 kiosks across the five boroughs.
Public sports watching has long been part of New York’s culture. even in moments that are more spontaneous than planned. During the NBA playoffs. residents propped up televisions or projectors on porches or milk crates so passersby could watch Knicks games. Fans packed bars and restaurants to peer at indoor screens. And outside Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. the city has seen watch parties driven by sheer noise and proximity—people gathering because the moment is happening right there.
Soccer’s grip on the city may not match basketball’s yet. but the World Cup screens are being positioned as a way to pull more people into the tournament. The World Cup matches will be broadcast using Telemundo’s feed. City officials and event organizers are betting that making games visible in everyday places—rather than just at home—will help broaden interest. especially across the five boroughs.
New York has also been building the tournament into city programming. City Hall earlier announced hundreds of restaurants are offering $26 dining deals for the 2026 World Cup to watch matches. along with free World Cup fan zones and 24/7 pickup soccer fields. Maya Handa. identified as the city’s World Cup czar. said the kiosks are another way to make the tournament more accessible.
“This initiative is a part of bringing the world to New York City, and bringing New York City to the world,” Handa said.
There’s a practical twist to the setup: the LinkNYC screens provide visuals for passersby, but without sound. The kiosks offer free calling capabilities, which provide audio, but not the displays on either side of the booth.
LinkNYC itself launched in 2016. when former Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to turn outdated pay-phone booths into something built for the smartphone and internet era. The system now offers free WiFi, tablets for viewing city maps, USB ports for charging, and free domestic calls. Officials say it has served more than 21 million residents and visitors. and they describe it as the world’s fastest free public WiFi. It is operated by CityBridge, a joint venture from Intersection Media and Boldyn Networks.
The kiosks have also been used to solve more immediate needs. During dangerously hot, humid temperatures recently, LinkNYC screens showed the nearest public cooling centers.
Now, the screens are set to serve a different kind of public purpose: people can watch on a display larger than a phone while waiting for a bus or taxi, or while running errands.
“That’s kind of what we’re hoping for, is just spontaneity,” Nick Colvin, CEO of LinkNYC, said in an interview. He added that the goal is to bring surprise and delight to people’s days while elevating a major moment for New York City.
The kickoff arrives as the United States’ men’s team looks strong in group play. Their game in Seattle against Australia starts at 3 p.m. EST.
In New York, where the city’s most famous arenas can feel like worlds apart from everyday sidewalks, the World Cup screenings on LinkNYC are designed to collapse that distance—letting the tournament show up in the flow of normal life, not just behind closed doors.
LinkNYC New York City World Cup 2026 Telemundo soccer in the US MetLife Stadium CityBridge free WiFi screens