Brazil World Cup fans take over NYC in scenes that rival Knicks celebrations

Brazil World Cup fans have turned New York City into a sea of yellow before Brazil face Morocco at MetLife Stadium in their 2026 World Cup opener.

The takeover comes at a time when New York is already caught in one of its loudest sports weeks in years, with basketball and soccer both spilling into the streets.

Brazil’s travelling support has added a different rhythm to the city, creating a World Cup atmosphere that now sits beside the Knicks’ own championship fever.

Brazil World Cup fans turn New York City into Morocco matchday stage

In videos shared by Harry on X, Brazil fans were seen taking over New York City with singing, flags and street-level celebrations before the Morocco match.

The clips showed the kind of travelling support that makes Brazil feel like a home team even when the game is being played thousands of miles from South America.

Brazil open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium, which is being used as New York-New Jersey Stadium during the tournament. The match gives the area one of its first major local World Cup moments of 2026.

The build-up has already moved well beyond the stadium. Times Square, bars and fan gathering spots have become part of the matchday route, with Brazil supporters turning preparation for the opener into a full city event.

Brazil World Cup party collides with New York Knicks title fever

The Brazil scenes stand out because New York had already been taken over by another wave of sports celebration only days earlier.

The Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals after erasing a 29-point deficit, a result that sent fans into the streets and moved the team into a 3-1 series lead.

That win left New York one victory from the third NBA title in franchise history, and the first since 1973. The celebrations around Madison Square Garden carried a different emotion from Brazil’s World Cup party, but the scale of noise and color gave the comparison real weight.

Knicks fans brought the release of a city waiting more than five decades for another championship, while Brazil fans brought the rhythm of a global soccer giant arriving in New York. Together, they have made the city feel like the center of two sporting worlds at once.

Read more: