The Paley Museum is joining in on the soccer celebration this summer, as it announced a lineup of events that will take place to coincide with the 2026 World Cup.
MetLife Stadium is slated to host eight matches during the World Cup, including the final match, with soccer taking center stage in the United States as it co-hosts one of the biggest sporting events on the planet with Mexico and Canada.
The Paley Museum will host several events commemorating the occasion, including a red carpet World Cup preview event, “Kicking Off FIFA World Cup with FOX Sports.” It will feature Fox Sports analysts and U.S. soccer greats Alexi Lalas, Carli Lloyd and Stu Holden, as well as Mexico soccer legend Javier “Chicharito” Hernández.
U.S. soccer greats Alexi Lalas (l.) and Carli Lloyd (r.) will take part in a “Kicking Off FIFA World Cup with FOX Sports” preview event at the Paley Museum. Getty Images Fox Sports host Rob Stone will moderate the May 21 event and it will include an exclusive early screening of the new Fox Sports documentary, “Summer of ‘94,” which looks back at the 1994 U.S. Men’s National Team.
The museum is also planning on hosting watch parties for every match of the World Cup, beginning on June 11 and culminating with the final on July 19, in its newly renovated theaters, airing matches in English and Spanish.
In addition, an immersive exhibit called “The Global Game: Soccer in the United States and the FIFA World Cup” will run from June 11 — the first day of the World Cup — through September. The exhibit will give museum goers a chance to explore the rise of soccer in the United States, highlighting the sport’s history in the country “from early involvement in FIFA to hosting the landmark 1994 tournament and the growth of Major League Soccer.”
Among the items that will be on display will be game-worn jerseys and cleats, signed memorabilia, archival footage, immersive media installations, photo opportunities and interactive broadcast-style activations.
“From the electrifying energy of every match on the big screen in our state-of-the-art theaters to a blockbuster exhibit, gaming, and more —The Paley Museum is the destination for fans to experience the excitement around this historic, global event,” Maureen J. Reidy, president and CEO of The Paley Center for Media, said in a statement.
The PaleyGX Gaming studio will have soccer-themed games and virtual reality. It will also host a live gaming tournament on Sunday, June 14.
The Paley Museum will host watch parties for every match during the 2026 World Cup. The announcement comes with a number of events planned around New York and New Jersey for the World Cup.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on April 27 a plan for five free fan zones around the five boroughs during the World Cup, two of which will be at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Rockefeller Center.
