New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an emergency order preventing special events, including concerts and food festivals, from being held in city parks during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mamdani’s order has already been accepted by the city’s Parks Department at the request of the NYPD, and no new permits will be issued for special events on park property for the duration of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to June 19.
The decision was made to ensure efficient deployment of police resources, as members of the NYPD must be on site for “major special events.”
“To more effectively deploy police resources and control overtime costs, the NYPD has recommended that the Department deny certain requests for authorization for new actions between June 11, 2026 and July 19, 2026,” the order reads.
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Mamdani’s order could block any events with 20 or more people that require a special permit to be held in 100 select New York City parks, the New York Post reported, adding that such events could include birthday parties.
Despite the Post report, authorities said events that do not require a police presence will not be affected by the ordinance.
“Please note that the emergency rule does not mean that all permits will be denied during the FIFA season. It gives NYC Parks more leeway in reviewing permits and only applies to large events that require a significant police presence,” NYC Parks spokesperson Greg McQueen told Fox5.
“Demonstrations and events that took place the year before are exempt from this rule,” he added.
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What events are affected?
According to the order, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is authorized to deny applications for permits for special events in the park during the period if:
1. the event did not take place in the calendar year 2025,
2. the action is not a demonstration and
3. The Commissioner of the City Parks Department, in consultation with the NYPD, determines that the agencies do not have sufficient resources to ensure the public safety and welfare at and around such event.
The order will thus affect newly planned concerts, food festivals and other events.
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What actions will be allowed?
Events that received a permit in the 2025 calendar year, demonstrations, smaller events that do not require a police presence, and events proposed before June 1, 2026 or after July 19, 2026 are not affected by the new rule, the regulation states.
What will be taken into account when assessing permit applications?
In addition to the above criteria for granting or denying a permit, the NYPD Commissioner may deny applications based on environmental concerns, scheduling conflicts, or the inability of the site to accommodate specific events, such as those near zoos or swimming pools.
World Cup matches in NYC
The New York/New Jersey area will see eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with MetLife Stadium as the venue.
The matches include five group stage matches, a round of 32 match, a round of 16 match and the final on 19 July 2026.
This is the highest number of matches assigned to any single host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
