New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani received complimentary premium tickets to several World Cup matches, his office confirmed Saturday, while maintaining that the arrangement does not violate the city’s ethics rules.
In a statement, Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said the mayor would attend certain games at MetLife Stadium as part of his official duties, citing New York City’s role as a host for the global tournament. She described the event as a rare opportunity for the city and said his presence was tied to responsibilities as the chief executive of a host city, though she did not specify which functions he would be carrying out.
Pekec also said Mamdani, a well-known soccer fan, is required under an agreement with the New York/New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee to be present at the matches. That includes Saturday’s Brazil-Morocco game, which he attended alongside his wife, Rama Duwaji.
According to Pekec, the first lady purchased her own seat for the match. She argued that the mayor’s attendance should not be viewed as receiving a gift, even as the lowest-priced resale tickets for the game were listed at more than $1,600 on Saturday.
The mayor’s office did not say how many matches Mamdani expects to attend. MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host eight FIFA World Cup 2026 games.
Gov. Kathy Hochul was also seen seated next to Mamdani during Saturday’s match.
“It would be unprecedented for host city leadership, particularly a mayor with such international recognition, to not participate in World Cup matches,” Pekec crowed about her boss.
Mamdani also flexed his political muscle earlier this week to nab exclusive seats to Game 3 of NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden — potentially running afoul of city ethics rules, The Post reported.
He downplayed how much he paid for the hot ticket, claiming “roughly $1,000” despite sources telling The Post is was actually $750.
