New York likes to imagine itself as the centre of the world. On some nights, perhaps it is.
The city found itself juggling two sporting love affairs at once on Saturday night. Morocco held Brazil to a 1-1 draw in the first World Cup match in the New York metropolitan area in 32 years, while Knicks fans were preparing emotionally and spiritually for a potentially historic NBA Finals game against the San Antonio Spurs.
The World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in neighbouring New Jersey kicked off about three hours before the Knicks game, turning Times Square into a gathering place for football supporters and basketball fans alike.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier organised a lottery for 1,000 New York City residents to buy affordable tickets for the World Cup after Fifa raised prices to exorbitant amounts.
Yet for many, Times Square was the attraction itself.
Supporters filmed the scene on their phones as Moroccan and Brazilian flags rippled above the crowd. Some unfolded camping chairs. Others perched on planters and ledges to secure a better view.
“This feels like we're back home,” said Yassin Hilale, a 38-year-old cab driver who moved to New York from Casablanca a decade ago. “You don't often see this many Moroccans in New York.”
Among the crowd was Adam, a 16-year-old Morocco fan who travelled from Canada with his mother for the occasion. Unable to afford tickets to the match, they opted to watch from Times Square.
“I think it's going to be a great game,” he said before kick-off. “It's a big match, and there's a great atmosphere here.”
Others made a similar calculation. Ismael and his wife, Samira, drove from Boston but decided the view from Times Square came with one undeniable advantage: it was far cheaper.
When the final whistle sounded, the city's attention shifted almost seamlessly from soccer to basketball.
Brazil's World Cup debut, featuring five-time world champions on one of the sport's biggest stages, was quickly overshadowed by the Knicks' pursuit of their first NBA championship in 53 years.
By nightfall, New York had become a sea of orange and blue as fans crowded bars, sidewalks and public squares to watch the decisive game.
“We are witnessing history,” said Edward Bernardi, 23, standing in a Knicks jersey near Times Square.
The Knicks victory ended a playoff run that had consumed New York for weeks, drawing thousands of fans to bars, parks and watch parties across the city as the Knicks moved within reach of their first title in 53 years.
Within moments of clinching victory, the Empire State Building was lit up in the Knicks' signature orange and blue colors, as raucous celebrations erupted outside the team's Madison Square Garden home.
