The first teaser for the fifa20 World cup, which was released earlier this month, showed glimpses of a pitch-perfect New York Stadium. What is exciting about this is not only that it is being built on the 105th anniversary of the founding of FIFA – the international governing body of football – but also that it will be the first time that the world’s most popular sport will be played in the city. It will also be the first World Cup to be held in North America. The US bid to host the event was officially accepted in 2018.
The image of the stadium, which will be known as the “FIFA World Cup Stadium New York”, was later revealed by event organizers. The renderings of the 80,000 capacity venue show its distinctive aesthetic hues – ranging from the brilliant green of the pitch to the white and red stripes of the American flag – and give an idea of the atmosphere that it will create. The venue is being designed by the British firm, Morris Engineering, which recently completed work on the National Football League (NFL) headquarters in New York City. It is reported that the venue will be funded entirely by private sources and won’t require government subsidies.
While we await a final presentation of the finished project, which is scheduled for October 2019, it is possible to get a better idea of where it is situated through a few key clues. First, let’s look at the location of the site on a map:
Located in the Hudson Valley, which extends into western New York, the stadium will be accessible from the Taconic Parkway. This is the region’s main east-west artery, linking New York City with the Adirondack Mountains. Traveling on the Taconic Parkway from its exit 21A to exit 23 will bring you directly to the stadium. From there, the trip to the center of the Tundra will take around 10 minutes. Exit 23 then leads to the south side of the Sprain Bridge, where one will find the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera House, and the Guggenheim Museum. Looking at the list of Museums that are in this vicinity, we see that the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Historical Society are within a few minutes’ walk of the site.
Second, let’s look at the address of the stadium:
111 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011.
The location of the stadium, which was announced in 2018, is not a traditional football location. However, the area around the stadium has seen some high-profile football-related events over the years. In 2015, the NFL held its annual draft combine in New York. Clubs and players from all over the world descend on the city each year for the mega-event. The week-long draft combines the spectacle of a Broadway show with the visceral energy of a football match. The 23rd Street location, which is just a stone’s throw from the stadium, is the city’s equivalent of LA’s Staples Center, which is the home of the NBA and NHL teams. It regularly hosts major concerts and world-class events, which makes it a fitting location for an elite sporting venue.
However, the most significant event that took place at this site was the first-ever Super Bowl. The New York Stadium was the host of this unforgettable moment in American football history. The big game was played in front of a then-record crowd of over 70,000 people. The atmosphere was electric as players ran onto the field for their pre-game rituals and then took the field for the exciting match. This iconic football stadium, with its distinctive “NY” logo, was built in 1923 and originally held nearly 100,000 fans. Though it was originally designed for baseball, it was the NFL that made this stadium famous. The iconic image of fans holding up a “Super Bowl LII” sign as the team members come out for the trophy presentation was captured during this game. The NFL returned to the stadium for several regular season games after the Super Bowl, including the first ever NFL game played in January, 1974. Since then, it has not left the site.
Why Is This Important?
It is not just an iconic stadium, however, it is also a testimony to the power of football in America. It is one of the country’s historic sports venues and has played host to some of the most important sporting events in American history. Yet, even now, after nearly a century of use, the stadium still holds almost 100,000 people and is considered one of the largest venues of its kind in the Americas.
The sport has become so popular in the US that the country’s oldest and most prestigious football club, the New York Giants, play their home games at nearby MetLife Stadium. The fact that this stadium is not located in a traditional footballing city makes this all the more significant. While there are several sports venues in New York, none of them hold the fame and legacy of the New York Stadium. It will be an honor to play in such a prestigious stadium.
What Will the Venue Offer?
Based on the details released so far, it seems that the facility will offer a combination of world-class amenities and unique historical significance. The site will be situated just blocks from the world-class shops, galleries, and restaurants that populate the area. This is likely to encourage visitors to spend more time in the city while attending a football match. The proximity to these luxury brands will no doubt attract wealthy attendees and make the experience as luxurious as possible. It is no wonder then that New York is one of the most sought-after cities to hold an event like this.
Additionally, the site is within walking distance of several historical landmarks, including the New York Public Library, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Guggenheim Museum. It is not just a football stadium, therefore, but an important piece of American history that will form part of the wider cultural legacy of the country.
When Will We See More?
Though we don’t have much to go on at the moment, it would not be a bad idea to visit this site as soon as possible. Based on the information that we have, it seems that the construction work will be complete by October 2019. Once its final touches are applied, this is sure to become one of the most iconic sports venues in the country. Let’s hope that it stays that way for centuries to come.