The World Cup isn’t coming to Long Island. But local soccer fans will still get a chance to tap into the global excitement this summer at a massive public watch party at Stony Brook University.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that the university will host Long Island’s official FIFA World Cup watch party June 12 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, with free events tied to the opening days of the tournament. Registration is open now.

Fans will be able to catch the United States’ opening group-stage match against Paraguay — along with Canada’s tournament opener — on large outdoor screens. The state is billing the event as a large-scale community gathering with live entertainment, food vendors and family programming.

“To have such an event right here in Suffolk County on the Stony Brook campus will certainly set the stage for the enthusiasm that will carry on right until they play the final at MetLife,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said in a statement.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, will run from June 11 through July 19.

Eight matches — including the tournament final — will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., giving the New York region a central role in the global tournament.

State officials have increasingly worked to pull Long Island into the broader New York-New Jersey host footprint, with tourism agencies and local governments eyeing the World Cup as a major economic opportunity for hotels, restaurants and downtown businesses.

“New York is proud to play a leading role in hosting the 2026 World Cup, a once-in-a-generation global event that will showcase our state on the world stage and generate economic activity in communities across New York,” Hochul said. “We are ensuring that every New Yorker has the opportunity to participate in this historic event through free, community-centered viewing experiences.”

LaValle Stadium, opened in 2002, has a capacity of more than 12,000 people. Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith said the watch party will turn the campus into a regional gathering place during the tournament.

“Stony Brook University is honored to welcome thousands of families traveling from across the Long Island region to our campus for this World Cup viewing event,” Goldsmith said. “I’m excited to see our campus become a gathering place for our neighbors to join together to celebrate this historic global moment.”

Long Island Association President and CEO Matt Cohen said the event gives local residents a chance to participate in a worldwide event close to home.

“The World Cup is one of the largest sporting events on the planet and having Long Island serve as host to an official watch party at Stony Brook University further demonstrates our region’s growing prominence on the world stage,” he said.

The post Free World Cup soccer watch party planned at Stony Brook University appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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