At Brooklyn Bridge Park, the FIFA Fan Zone becomes a World Cup Village

DUMBO — People from around the world wrapped in flags. Children kicking soccer balls. Collectors waving their hands frantically for freebies thrown from the stage. Wild cheering when a team scores a goal. A video screen bigger than your apartment. An enormous shoe.

The adidas FIFA World Cup Fan Zone in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the borough’s official fan zone, is where pure love of soccer meets commercial enterprise and whipped-up media frenzy. It’s both international and all-American — free tickets mix with food trucks, expensive collectibles and a grassy beer hall. Television and YouTube talent are interviewed by camera crews in front of a giant adidas logo, while free cultural events take place under a tent. 

In other words, it’s a scene, it’s fabulous, and not to be missed.

And if you like soccer, all the better.

‘I would suggest everyone sign up’

For such a big deal, for all the crowds, the mood at the Fan Zone is summer-outing mellow. 

On Sunday, a large family from Ecuador, eating at a waterfront table near the food trucks, gave this reporter a happy thumbs up. Japanese couples posed for selfies in front of a giant soccer ball. Thirsty fans in the outdoor beer hall picnicked and watched the action on banks of smaller screens. People were making a day of it.

“My friends and I were initially skeptical,” local resident Aaron Hope told the Brooklyn Eagle. “We expected long lines to get in, a packed fan zone, and extortionate prices for food and beverage. Our experience was the opposite. It was easy to enter the ground, not too busy once we were inside, and watching the game was a lot of fun.”

Hope said there were a couple of glitches. There was an issue on Sunday with the digital signup for the 3×3 game. And there was a moment about 75 minutes into the Japan vs. Netherlands game, “Where the organizers cut the live stream so that they could film some stock footage of us booing.” 

“Thankfully, this was just a brief moment in what was ultimately a great way to experience the World Cup. I would suggest everyone sign up,” he said.

Stripes Exchange backs local orgs

There are more games going on than soccer, courtesy of the The Stripes Exchange space, where soccer jerseys, soccer balls, collectibles and other sports doodads are for sale. The Exchange is partnering with a variety of local and cultural organizations. 

On Sunday, the Exchange joined with Our Chess NYC, an organization that invites guests to connect over games of chess. Our Chess NYC was founded in 2025 by Brooklyn activist and model Z, a member of adidas’ 2026 Creative Class.

“I have insatiable thirst for bringing people together, and I love camaraderie,” Z told the Eagle. “Chess, like soccer, is a beautiful connecting game. You don’t need to know the same language. You don’t have to have the same culture. And it connects everybody.” There are just two rules, she said. “No weirdos allowed, and you have to leave your ego at home.”

Our Chess NYC open sessions take place at Antilles Cafe at 1170 Nostrand Ave. in Flatbush, and on first Sundays at Silence Please, 132 Bowery in Manhattan. 

What to know

Brooklyn’s Fan Zone spreads out across Emily Warren Roebling Plaza and an adjacent lawn area. The 25,000-square-foot site has room for up to 3,500 visitors a day, but a police officer told the Eagle on Tuesday that he estimated 5,000 people were in the general area.

Besides live game screenings, performances include PinkPantheress and rapper Larry June on June 26; DJ Whutever on June 19; and another performer on July 18. Other events will include the activation of the multiplayer mobile game Brawl Stars and a screening of the rousing soccer documentary “Summer of ’94.”

The adidas FIFA World Cup Fan Zone takes place through July 19, and is open daily from noon–10 p.m. See full detailshere.