The FIFA World Cup will be taking over the NYC region this summer, affecting locals across all five boroughs, particularly in terms of transit.
Officials are expecting over 1.2 million fans to be in the area for the event, meaning trains, buses, and subways will be put to the test.
Here is how the games will affect your day-to-day Metropolitan Transportation Authority commute in the city.
The World Cup will host eight games at MetLife Stadium, which is being branded as New York New Jersey Stadium for the event. MetLife Stadium is in East Rutherford, New Jersey, right outside of the city.
But with the mass influx of visitors, NYC will be under major stress, too. Many are expected to travel in, out and around the city throughout the time period of the games.
The World Cup will take place in the region for over a month, with the schedule as follows, according to the stadium:
With over 1.2 million fans coming to the region for the games, more riders can be expected in most MTA subway stations during the time period, particularly in Midtown. NJ Transit is expected to be one of the main movers to the stadium, but many will be taking MTA services in order to get to Penn Station.
During the World Cup, parts of Penn Station will be closed for hours before matches in certain parts of the hub, according to reporting by NorthJersey.com. Some areas will be closed only to World Cup attendees for up to four hours before a game begins, the plan said.
“If you regularly use the subway, bus, Long Island Rail Road, or Metro-North to get around the city, you should expect changes to service for the duration of the World Cup, particularly on match days,” the MTA says on its website.
The transportation authority also said depending on the time and match schedule, “service between 34 Street and 59 Street from the FDR Drive to the West Side Highway may be subject to diversions, reroutes, skipped stops, or cancellations,” and that bus service will be likely face “significant changes” in Midtown.