The District isn’t hosting a World Cup game, but the nation’s capital will still celebrate the international tournament.
City officials announced Wednesday that the National Mall would host a World Cup fan festival as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations.
The World Cup Fan Zone will feature TV viewing of the soccer action, interactive exhibits, youth programming, cultural showcases, food, music and family-friendly activities for the millions of tourists expected to visit Washington over the summer.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone on the National Mall will help welcome the world to America during the nation’s 250th year,” said Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250, which is hosting events throughout the summer for the semiquincentennial. “This will be a place where people from every corner of the globe come together through sport, freedom, and shared human experience in the shadow of America’s most iconic monuments.”
The festivities on the National Mall begin June 11, when Mexico hosts South Africa in the World Cup opener. The tournament ends on July 19.
“The FIFA Fan Zone Washington, D.C., is a result of an extraordinary partnership that reflects the global spirit of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. “Together, we are creating a global experience in the heart of the nation’s capital that unites people from all backgrounds and connects this historic FIFA World Cup 2026 with America’s 250th anniversary through football, culture and community.”
