Mamdani Courts 10-Plus Nations During NYC World Cup Push as City Signals It Welcomes Immigrants
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jul 19
Mamdani Courts 10-Plus Nations During NYC World Cup Push as City Signals It Welcomes Immigrants
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 19
Summary
Weeks into his term, Mayor Zohran Mamdani turned World Cup events into a diplomatic campaign, hosting watch parties, pickup games and meetings with officials, players and diaspora groups across New York.
June 11 gatherings at Gracie Mansion brought diplomats from seven MetLife group-stage teams—France, Senegal, Panama, Ecuador, Germany, England and Norway—plus consuls general from Mexico, Canada and South Africa; Brazil could not attend.
Maya Handa, whom Mamdani named World Cup czar, said the effort aimed to attract tourists, deepen ties with immigrant communities and pitch New York as a home for overseas business through events such as the Choose NYC summit.
The outreach also reached global institutions and soccer figures: UNHCR donated refugee-designed balls, Mamdani met UN-Habitat's chief, and he appeared with Gianni Infantino, George Weah, Walter Casagrande and Paul Pogba.
Handa said fears that federal immigration enforcement could disrupt the tournament had not materialized so far, framing the city's public message as simple: criticism for being welcoming was acceptable.