DC Prepares National Mall to Serve as FIFA World Cup Fan Zone

FIFA and the White House planning commission Freedom 250 announced the collaboration on Tuesday as part of a series of events to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Rachel Acenas

Published: 5/26/2026, 11:49:39 PM EDT

DC Prepares National Mall to Serve as FIFA World Cup Fan Zone — The FIFA World Cup trophy on display with the Washington Monument in the background. (NTD screenshot via Reuters)

The National Mall will serve as an officially designated “fan zone” for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, according to event organizers.

FIFA and the White House planning commission Freedom 250 announced the collaboration on Tuesday as part of a series of events to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The fan zone will be available to access during the entire tournament from June 11 to July 19 at the National Mall, which is widely known as a popular gathering place and a symbol of American history and democracy.

The free, designated area will include live match screenings, food, and live music, according to organizers.

The area has been dedicated for fans even though D.C. is not an official FIFA World Cup host city.

Major parties, fan festivals, and screenings are planned in all 11 U.S. host cities for the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.

Additionally, three cities in New Mexico and two cities in Canada will host FIFA World Cup matches in 2026.

The tournament is the world's biggest sporting event.

The upcoming World Cup—co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—will serve as a major experiment for the popular sport. The latest edition of the tournament includes a new, expanded 48-team format—up from 32—played out over nearly six weeks.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the expansion of the tournament will make the game “truly global,” and create opportunities for countries that “would never have dreamed to participate” in a World Cup.

Earlier this month, U.S. Customers and Border Protection reported an increase in travel authorizations for the tournament. From Oct. 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026, CBP received over 5.9 million such authorizations, with the top five nations for approvals being the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

On May 25, FBI Director Kash Patel warned that the agency has been preparing for the threats posted by such a high-profile tournament. Patel said the FBI will be “highly focused” on threats, especially sex and human trafficking networks.

“During the tournament, we encourage everyone to stay alert. Victims of sex and human trafficking sometimes may be seen out in the open—traveling through airports, eating at restaurants, even living in your neighborhoods,” Patel wrote on X.