Tim Harfmann

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Jun 12, 2026, 10:47 PM

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Updated

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There is an old saying that New York is “the city that never sleeps.”

Well, now NYC is proving it by organizing overnight soccer games in city parks.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the launch of NYC Open Play on Friday. It provides access to free, pick-up soccer games while the FIFA World Cup is underway.

New Yorkers ages 18 and up can play between 10:30 p.m. and 8 a.m. through July 18.

“It gets more people interested in the sport, which is, you know, we need that here in the United States,” said Jeremy Salto, of Brooklyn.

“It can bring people together, like communities or different countries, so they can all play together,” said Jonathan Perez, of Brooklyn.

There are five participating parks across the city -- one in every borough:

• Hudson River Park’s Chelsea Waterside in Manhattan

• Astoria Park in Queens

• Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn

• Soundview Park in the Bronx

• Fairview Park on Staten Island

Players can sign up online either individually or register as teams.

“We’re working every day, and after the workday we need to run and play with our friends,” said Talekh Guluev, a soccer fan from Brooklyn.

City leaders said each park will have staff to provide soccer equipment and coordinate games for different skill levels.

Security will also be on hand.