Pumped-up World Cup fans pack buses to watch Brazil vs. Morocco as games kick off here

Excited World Cup fans packed onto shuttle buses in the Big Apple Saturday to attend the 2026 World Cup’s first game at MetLife Stadium.

Sporting colorful yellow Brazil and red Morocco jerseys, they queued in lines outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown and at Columbus Circle to get on shuttle buses as early as 11 a.m., hours before the kick-off of the Brazil-Morocco game set for 6 p.m.

Mamdani urged fans to take public transit to the stadium and to head for the Meadowlands four to five hours prior to kick off. Vehicle travel through Midtown Manhattan was expected to experience heavy traffic and travel delays.

“I encourage you to take the subway, walk or ride a bike instead,” Mamdani said on Saturday, telling people to help ease congestion in the city.

Fans attending the game cannot bring large backpacks or large purses inside MetLife Stadium.

Queens resident David Rodriguez, 18, won two $50 World Cup tickets in the lottery giveaway set up by Mayor Mamdani. Sporting a Brazil jersey, Rodriguez brought a friend, who was rooting for Morocco, along with him.

“The day that it happened I was in school,” Rodriguez recalled. “We had our phones supposed to be locked. I didn’t have it locked. I wanted to check if I got the ticket or not. I took out my phone and when I saw the email, ‘You won the World Cup ticket. You have 48 hours to buy for $50 two tickets,’ I was so excited the whole class knew instantly! So excited.”

Mamdani announced in May that the city was raffling off 1,000 affordable World Cup tickets for just $50 apiece, including free round-trip bus trips to the stadium, exclusively for New York City residents. The lottery lasted nearly a week.

“We’re going to just check out Times Square and see if there is some Moroccan people to have some chanting about the game…maybe a slice of pizza and then go,” Amine Mobtahij, 31, who is from Morocco but lives in Texas said. “This is my first (World Cup game). Honestly, it was crazy expensive, so I feel very privileged and lucky. Seven hundred dollars for just one game. But this is America, so I guess it’s kind of expected.”

“I’m rooting for Brazil even though I’m not Brazilian,” said Elvis Lora, 43, from the Bronx, wearing a Brazil jersey and matching shorts. “I was on the website going, ‘Who should I go for?’ I saw Brazil and I said, ‘OK, Brazil!’ I like Brazil. Also, I speak a little bit of Portuguese. I was excited. I saw two years ago — I thought it was a rumor — they were saying it was coming to the United States, Mexico and Canada.”

Priscilla Cagelli, 40, a Brazilian who lives on the Upper West Side was excited to be heading to the big game.

“We’ve been to World Cup games back in Brazil in 2014. This is the first World Cup game (we’re going to) in a foreign country,” she said while awaiting a shuttle bus at Columbus Circle. “I’m planning to go to another four matches. I paid $500 (for each) — I’m lucky. I’m planning to come and meet my friends in a pub and I’ll try to catch the Knicks! Knicks in five!”