The International Football Federation (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 on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, where Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić will blow the whistle to start the game. FIFA reprogrammed the famous departure boards at Grand Central Terminal to display the match start time in cities representing all 48 teams that participated in the tournament, a scene symbolizing that the moment beginning 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 reach to FIFA's 211 member associations. FIFA chose Grand Central Terminal for its iconic four-faced clock, symbolic of time, movement, and connection, as the terminal has welcomed millions of travelers and visitors from around the world for over a century. The event was designed to reflect the similarity between the terminal and the global final, both serving as meeting points that connect people and create shared, memorable moments. The World Cup trophy was also displayed inside the terminal as part of the event, and FIFA made photos and video clips available for media use via its digital platform until Monday, July 20.