Mayor Mamdani Announces Midtown Transportation Plan to Keep New York City Moving During 2026 FIFA World Cup™ Matches

NEW YORK – Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced a Midtown transportation plan for each of the eight local match days to keep the city moving safely.

As part of a multiagency transportation strategy, the Mamdani administration is coordinating with the NYNJ Host Committee, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to create temporary, dedicated corridors in Midtown Manhattan for World Cup-related transportation.

Mayor Mamdani will also declare each match day a “Gridlock Alert Day” to discourage non-essential driving; work with local businesses to limit truck deliveries in Midtown Manhattan during and in the hours surrounding matches; and promote the use of public transportation by both New Yorkers and visitors alike.

These strategies will direct World Cup-related transportation to specific corridors within Midtown Manhattan, helping fans travel seamlessly to and from matches while minimizing the impact of World Cup transportation on New Yorkers.

“New York City is ready to welcome the World Cup to our backyard,” said Mayor Mamdani. “But even as the eyes of the world turn to our city, our responsibility remains the same to make sure New Yorkers can still get where they need to go safely, affordably and without unnecessary disruption. Whether you’re heading to the stadium for a match, the park for a pick-up game or the office like any other day, our streets will work for everyone.”

“Shifting delivery hours in Midtown and creating dedicated space for stadium shuttle buses will help minimize disruptions for New Yorkers during World Cup match days. With increased activity on match days, we strongly encourage New Yorkers to avoid driving into Manhattan and to fully utilize mass transit to get to your favorite watch parties this summer,” said New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn. “This plan will also help ensure the vast majority of ticketholders will be able to get to matches seamlessly by mass transit, without driving or adding excessive congestion to our streets.”

“Smart New Yorkers and tourists know there’s only one fast, reliable way to beat gridlock and experience the city — take the train,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Our subways have plenty of capacity to keep this city moving throughout the tournament and beyond.”

“Hosting eight World Cup matches means preparing not only for unforgettable moments, but also for the safe and seamless movement of millions of residents, commuters and visitors,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 26 NYNJ Host Committee. “This strategy reflects the level of coordination and planning across multiple agencies and partners to minimize disruptions, keep residents and visitors moving and ensure the city is ready to deliver an exceptional experience.”

WHAT TO EXPECT

On match days, New Yorkers should:

• Plan for increased congestion and traffic delays, particularly in Manhattan.
• Account for altered street and bus routes, including bus and shuttle corridors and lanes in Midtown and street closures for queuing near Penn Station.
• Walk, bike or take the subway instead of non-essential driving when possible.
• Explore local World Cup activations in and around their neighborhoods.
• Stay up to date by signing up for emergency alerts including traffic disruptions by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692.
• Find more transportation information on the City’s World Cup Ready page.
• Visit the NYNJ Host Committee’s website for NYNJ World Cup event updates, travel alerts and safety notifications.

GRIDLOCK ALERT DAYS

Mayor Mamdani will declare each match day a Gridlock Alert Day. NYC DOT designates the busiest traffic days of the year as Gridlock Alert Days, days when traffic is expected to be at its slowest and New Yorkers and visitors are urged to walk, bike or take public transportation instead of driving when possible.

MTA Subways and Buses

MTA subways and buses will continue to carry millions of riders throughout the city on match days; however, bus service and Access-A-Ride service in Midtown Manhattan will be impacted on match days.

New Yorkers traveling in Midtown Manhattan are encouraged to use the subway for travel if possible. For more information about travel during the World Cup, New Yorkers should check https://www.mta.info/world-cup-2026-new-york-new-jersey and MTA’s apps and website for route-specific detours, delays, planned service changes and real-time information.

Ferries

Mayor Mamdani and the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced the most NYC Ferry service in system history to meet this summer’s high demand. NYC Ferry will be adding vessels and trips across high-demand routes to keep commuters, recreational riders and visitors moving reliably. Information on routes, schedules and ticket purchases can be found at https://www.ferry.nyc/.

The Staten Island Ferry is free to ride. Check out the schedule at https://nyc.gov/sifschedule.

Citi Bikes

Citi Bike will operate normally on match days.

Rail Systems

During peak match-arrival and departure windows, select NJ TRANSIT trains will be temporarily diverted or adjusted to support Stadium-bound service. Visit https://www.njtransit.com/ for more information.

PATH, Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road will operate as normal.

On Gridlock Alert Days, NYC DOT will monitor traffic and make real-time adjustments to traffic signals to keep New Yorkers and visitors safely moving.

MATCH DAY BUS LANES

During the eight match days — June 13, 16, 22, 25, 27, 30 and July 5 and 19 — Official NYNJ Stadium shuttle buses will provide non-stop express service for ticketholders to and from Manhattan and the NYNJ Stadium in New Jersey via the Lincoln Tunnel.

NYNJ Stadium shuttle buses will be making pick-ups and drop-offs at three Manhattan locations: the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Midtown North at Columbus Circle and Midtown East near Grand Central.

On each match day, to reduce traffic and facilitate mass transit, New York City will:

• Convert 42nd Street into a bus and shuttle corridor from First Avenue to Twelfth Avenue.
• Dedicate the two eastern-most lanes of traffic along Sixth Avenue as bus and shuttle lanes from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
• Utilize the two existing bus lanes along Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
• Convert West 40th Street between 8th Avenue and 11th Avenue and West 41st Street between 8th Avenue and 10th Avenue into bus and shuttle blocks.

Access on these bus corridors and lanes will be limited to NYNJ Stadium shuttle buses and MTA local buses as well as Official World Cup affiliate vehicles and emergency vehicles.

The dedicated space on all five streets will begin six hours before local matches start and up to three hours after each match ends.

PENN STATION QUEUING

NJ TRANSIT will limit outbound rail service from Penn Station to FIFA World Cup 2026™ ticketholders beginning approximately four hours before matches.

Match tickets and NJ TRANSIT tickets will be checked and validated before entering Penn Station.

To accommodate street-level queues, the City will close 33rd Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue to vehicles as well as 32nd Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue. Vehicles will not be permitted access to these blocks and should plan for detours.

Closures will begin at least six hours before each match. Most streets will reopen soon after each match begins with 33rd Street between 7th and 6th Avenues reopening three hours after each match concludes.

In order to support high-capacity operations and ensure public safety, regular commuters not attending the match can use their rail ticket or pass, with New York as an origin or destination station, for alternate travel options available at no additional cost using PATH train service from the 33rd Street Station as well as NJ TRANSIT bus service from Port Authority Bus Terminal.

MIDTOWN DELIVERY RESTRICTIONS

Following best practices from similar large events in other cities, truck deliveries in Midtown will be restricted six hours before each NYNJ Stadium Match begins until three hours after each match concludes. The truck restrictions will be in place on match days only between 30th Street and 60th Street, from the East to Hudson rivers.

Restrictions apply only to trucks. Smaller delivery vehicles such as cars, vans and cargo bikes are exempt. Emergency vehicles, service vehicles and essential delivery providers operating within the zone are also exempt. Delivery details are available at nyc.gov/worldcupready.

Looking for alternative delivery solutions? Reach out to NYC DOT at FreightMobility@dot.nyc.gov to connect with Blue Highways and Microhub program participants or learn more about other delivery options such as the Off-Hour Deliveries incentives program.

LONG-TERM STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

Mayor Mamdani delivered a suite of permanent streetscape improvements throughout the spring to prepare New York City for the World Cup and permanently improve the city’s streetscape afterwards.

In Hell’s Kitchen, a transformational redesign of Ninth Avenue from West 34th Street to 50th Street will increase pedestrian space, widen the street’s protected bike lane and extend the street’s bus lane north to 50th Street.

In Queens, a dedicated, center-running eastbound bus lane along Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue will improve commutes for LaGuardia Airport (LGA) travelers, airport workers and Queens residents.

From SoHo and the East Village to Union Square, a suite of bike lane and pedestrian space upgrades will expand sidewalks and create continuous, north-south bike connections from the Brooklyn Bridge to Astor Place and Union Square.

A new, dedicated bike connection to the Brooklyn Bridge along Centre Street in Manhattan will create fully separate bike and pedestrian access to the iconic destination for the first time.

On the highly trafficked Sixth Avenue, the City will double the width of a popular protected bike lane between 14th Street and West 31st Street and expand pedestrian space to improve safety for everyone using the corridor, whether they are biking, walking or traveling by car.

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

NYC DOT will launch a series of public awareness campaigns to promote mass transit, advise against driving in Midtown on match days, warn against drinking and driving and educate businesses about changes to truck deliveries on match days. Advertisements will run on LinkNYC, the Staten Island Ferry, radio, social media and streaming platforms.

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