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 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.
Many appeared to be as interested in documenting the atmosphere as in watching the game itself, filming on their phones as Moroccan and Brazilian flags waved above the crowd. Some supporters brought folding chairs, while others climbed on to planters and ledges for a better view of the screens broadcasting the action.
“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 reached the same conclusion. Ismael and Samira drove from Boston but decided that watching from Times Square came with one major advantage: it was significantly cheaper.
As the football crowd spilt into the streets after the match, attention shifted almost seamlessly to basketball.
The 2026 World Cup debut of five-time champions Brazil was largely eclipsed by the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals clash with the San Antonio Spurs.
Hundreds of Knicks fans descended on the city to collectively cheer on their team, who notched a fourth win in the best-of-seven finals series to secure the championship.
New York was already a sea of orange and blue as fans followed the Knicks' bid for what would be their first NBA title in 53 years.
“We are witnessing history,” said Edward Bernardi, 23, standing in a Knicks jersey near Times Square. “If they win this, the city is going to be out of control.”
