Hochul announces free World Cup watch party at Stony Brook University
Stony Brook will host a free World Cup watch party with Canada-Bosnia and the U.S.-Paraguay, plus a Third Eye Blind set. Tickets are free, but registration is required.
Suffolk County is getting a rare front-row seat in the World Cup buildup as Gov. Kathy Hochul brings a free public watch experience to Stony Brook University, with New York State saying the June 12 gathering is expected to draw thousands.
The event will be held at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on the Stony Brook campus and will include free live broadcasts of Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at 3:00 p.m. and USA vs. Paraguay at 9:00 p.m. Third Eye Blind is scheduled to perform live at 8:00 p.m., turning the day into a full-scale community event rather than a simple game viewing. Tickets are free and available through online registration while supplies last.
State and university materials describe the watch experience as part of a broader push to bring communities together around giant outdoor screens, live entertainment and soccer-themed programming. Organizers say the day will also include interactive soccer activities, skills stations, face painting, World Cup-themed photo opportunities, sign-making stations, games, giveaways and activations from local organizations and state agencies. For families in Suffolk County, that puts a major international sports lead-up right on the North Shore, without the cost or travel of a trip into the city.
Hochul first announced the free Long Island and Mid-Hudson viewing events on February 24, placing Stony Brook alongside Kensico Dam Plaza in Westchester County as one of two large public gatherings in the state rollout. New York State has framed the program as part of an effort to maximize the statewide and economic impact of the 2026 World Cup, and officials later said the Long Island event is meant to help make the tournament accessible to families while also promoting tourism, cultural engagement and youth soccer development.
That broader strategy already includes the New York State Community World Cup Grant Program, launched on January 16 to help communities host local viewing events. On April 20, Hochul also announced plans for a World Cup One-Day Permit to support fan activations at bars and restaurants, along with expanded outdoor events. Together, the measures point to a coordinated push to spread World Cup activity beyond the host stadiums and into places like Suffolk County, where Stony Brook’s campus now sits at the center of Long Island’s public soccer celebration.
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