New York City’s official World Cup guide highlights at least 100 free locations where fans can watch soccer’s biggest tournament on large screens. Missing from that list is one of the city’s most infamous addresses: the Rikers Island jail complex, a place far more often associated with overcrowding, violence and federal scrutiny than communal watch parties.
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On Wednesday, however, more than 100 detainees were allowed to watch the World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina as a reward for what officials described as good conduct while in custody.
Wearing tan jail uniforms, the inmates sat at tables in a gymnasium, their attention fixed on a large projection screen. Since the tournament began last month, Rikers has held about 90 World Cup viewing events, drawing roughly 4,500 participants from the approximately 6,600 people incarcerated on the 400-acre island, correction officials said.
“Programs like this equal safety in our jail,” said Stanley Richards, New York City’s correction commissioner and himself a former Rikers inmate. “What we say to them is that your humanity is seen, heard and valued.”
The watch party offered a strikingly different image of Rikers Island from the one presented in years of complaints, investigations and court filings — concerns so severe that a federal judge appointed an outside manager to help address conditions inside the troubled jail complex.
That federal overseer, Nicholas Deml, the former head of the Vermont Department of Corrections, filed a reform plan Tuesday that pointed to the persistent dysfunction at the facility, which first opened in 1935.
In one episode cited in the report, inspectors entered a housing unit and found it thick with smoke from fires set by prisoners, alarms blaring and detainees pounding on cell doors. Another incident described prisoners rushing through an unsecured door and breaking into a fight after a correction officer left his post.
“Violence remains pervasive, basic correctional practices remain unreliable, and unconstitutional conditions persist,” the report said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to honor a 2019 city law mandating the closure of Rikers, paid a short visit to Wednesday’s watch party.
With his white shirt sleeves rolled up, the Democrat took a seat at a table and immediately started chatting about the tournament.
One of the inmates said he expected Argentina to prevail over England and go on to face Spain, which had defeated France the day earlier.
“You never know,” said Mamdani, a professed Morocco fan.
At another table, an inmate told the mayor he was going home later in the day. “That’s amazing,” Mamdani said, patting his back.
The jailhouse crowd erupted in a mix of groans and cheers as England struck first with a goal early in the second half.
Ralph Veal was among the minority of England fans who raised his arms in celebration as Argentina supporters grimaced and looked away dejectedly. The 53-year-old Mount Vernon resident, who has been incarcerated since November, said he’s rooting for England because it’s his 20-year-old son’s favorite team.
“I’m sitting at the table with Argentina fans, but it’s all right,” Veal said shortly before the England goal. “The energy is real positive in here.”
Victor Caldas was among the legion of Argentina fans who jumped out of their seats hugging and clapping and banging the tables as the team took a decisive 2-1 lead in stoppage time, and then went on to win a spot against Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
The 39-year-old, who has been incarcerated for four months, has been rooting for Argentina since his home country of Ecuador was knocked out of the tournament.
Caldas said he appreciated being able to watch the game uninterrupted among fellow soccer fans and not having to compete with other inmates for use of the television in his housing unit.
Thomas McCoy was among those simply relishing a rare treat: a catered meal. The buffet spread included salad greens, salmon, penne alla vodka and chicken parmesan, along with Snapple drinks.
“It’s not a sports club, we can’t get our drinks on and stuff like that. That’s OK though,” said the 52-year-old Brooklyn resident. “I’ve been locked up 21 months, so it’s been a long time since I had real food like that. It was a wonderful experience.”
