FIFA Unifies World Time for Countdown to World Cup Final from 'Grand Central'

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) organized a special event at the historic Grand Central Terminal in New York City, celebrating the countdown to the start of the 2026 World Cup final, and highlighting the global nature of the event that brings together fans across different continents in a single moment.

The final match kicks off at 3:00 PM Eastern Time tomorrow, Sunday, at the New York New Jersey Stadium, where Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić will blow the whistle to start the match.

FIFA reprogrammed the famous departure boards at Grand Central Terminal to display the match kickoff time in cities representing all 48 teams that participated in the tournament, in a scene symbolizing that the moment starting in New York and New Jersey will be experienced simultaneously around the world.

The boards included cities such as Madrid, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Rabat, Toronto, Port-au-Prince, Auckland, and Mexico City, confirming the vast global impact of the tournament and its extension to FIFA's 211 member national associations.

FIFA chose Grand Central Terminal for what its famous four-faced clock represents in terms of symbolism for time, movement, and connection, as the terminal has welcomed millions of travelers and visitors from around the world for over a century.

The event embodied the similarity between the terminal and the global final, as both are meeting points that connect people and create shared moments that remain in memory.

The World Cup trophy was also displayed inside the terminal as part of the event, and FIFA made photos and videos available for media use via its digital platform until Monday, July 20.