Latest news with #Lasry
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
NY/NJ World Cup Committee vows to keep crowds orderly at MetLife Stadium
The New York/New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee is sending the message that scenes like the ones that occurred at the Copa America final in 2024 in Miami won't happen next year when the World Cup final takes place at MetLife Stadium. Alex Lasry, the head of the NY/NJ host committee, promised that the organizers would do everything to make sure that 'nothing like that' could happen when the home of the Jets and Giants hosts the biggest soccer match in the world in July 2026. 'People need to know that going to a game — children are going to be at these games — that everyone can feel safe and secure and know that they are going to a safe and secure environment,' Lasry told amNewYork in an interview published this week. Advertisement MetLife Stadium will host the 2026 World Cup Final. USA Today Sports The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed more than an hour as fans without tickets rushed the gates at Hard Rock Stadium to 'forcibly enter' the venue and create a chaotic scene that overwhelmed stadium security and police. The wild turn of events led to 27 arrests and 55 ejections from the stadium. Advertisement Lasry called the dangerous scenes 'unfortunate,' but labeled them 'one-in-a-million' for a sporting event in the United States. The committee head acknowledged that the situation is one that they can '100 percent learn from,' and Lasry told the outlet that the security plan for matches at MetLife would keep ticketless fans from overrunning stadium staff. 'That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be taking all the precautions and ensure and taking lessons from that, but I've got all the faith and belief in the world in our security plan and our ticketing plan and ensuring that something like that's not going to happen,' Lasry said. Large crowds of fans try to enter the stadium amid disturbances prior to the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Fla. Getty Images Advertisement MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches in 2026, with the tournament culminating with the championship game taking place in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. The United States, Canada and Mexico are jointly hosting the 2026 World Cup that will wrap up an exciting run of soccer in North America. The U.S. hosted Copa America in 2024, will hold the Club World Cup this summer and then will have the World Cup next year. Local officials have estimated that the tournament will generate more than $2 billion for the region and bring millions of visitors into the area over the entire run of the World Cup.
The Guardian
11-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
New Jersey to host 2026 World Cup fan fest at Liberty State Park
A fan fest at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, will be open for all 104 games of the 2026 World Cup. Fan fests with large video screens have been a part of each World Cup's organization since 2006. Plans to have one in New York City's Corona Park no longer are moving forward, but festivities in Central Park remains possible. The one in Jersey City is set. 'That is going to be the one fan fest, I believe, across the country that is going to be up and running for all games of the World Cup as opposed to just the games that are happening in our region,' Tammy Murphy, wife of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and chair of the New York/New Jersey host committee's directors, said during an interview Monday. Murphy's appointment as chair was announced Tuesday along with the hiring of Alex Lasry, a former Milwaukee Bucks executive and son of former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, as CEO of the host committee. He heads a full-time staff of about 10. The World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The tournament, expanded to 48 nations from 32, opens 11 June in Mexico City and the final will be 19 July at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Games will be played at 11 U.S. venues, three in Mexico and two in Canada, with all matches in the U.S. from the quarter-finals on. 'The final is awesome to have here and it is a huge opportunity not just for FIFA to market itself, but I think more importantly for the New York/New Jersey region to market itself as the place to do business, as the place to do events and as the center for sports and entertainment in the world,' Lasry said. FIFA is running the World Cup itself unlike in the past, when a local organizing committee was in charge of logistics. FIFA did not respond to a request for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Heimo Schirgi, chief operating officer of the tournament, to discuss the World Cup. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion The host committee will coordinate with federal, state and local governments. 'We're not going to really be handling what goes on inside the stadium,' Lasry said. 'The soccer match, that's going to be a lot of FIFA. We're going to be working with FIFA on security and our day-to-day responsibilities are to raise money to help put on the fan fests, to make sure that our security and transportation are all set and then also making sure that we're engaging with the communities to kind of explain to everyone what the benefits of this are going to be.' Lasry, the U.S. Commerce Department's deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism for two years until last month, said the committee will work to ensure the tournament leaves a legacy. World Cup USA 1994, which ran the previous World Cup in the U.S. for FIFA, transferred about $50m in surplus money from the tournament to a newly established U.S Soccer Foundation, which has focused on funding the game in underserved communities. FIFA has various tiers of sponsors and Lasry said the host committee will work with FIFA's partners and be responsible deals with regional entities. Lasry said the semi-finals and championship of the first expanded Club World Cup at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium this July will be a dry run for the 2026 event. 'We'll be able to look at it from a security and transportation standpoint on, OK, where did things go really well? Where do we have some gaps? What went well but that we can do better?' Lasry said.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Milwaukee Bucks exec Alex Lasry lead host group for 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York area
WASHINGTON – Former Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry is turning his attention to the largest sporting event on Earth. Lasry is the new CEO of the New York New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee, a nonprofit tasked with preparing the New York area for the wildly popular soccer tournament when it comes to North America next year. 'This is the biggest sporting event in the world, and to be able to have a role in helping put it on in the biggest region in the world, being able to work on the finals, is an honor,' Lasry told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week. The work, Lasry said, will be similar to putting on a major political convention — 'just on a much bigger scale.' The committee is tasked in part with handling security and transportation logistics and putting on FIFA Fan Fests and other hospitality events during World Cup games played in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The World Cup runs from July 11-19, 2026, and will be played across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In addition to New York/New Jersey, 10 other U.S. cities will host matches, and each city has its own host committee. MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets in East Rutherford, however, will see eight games, including the coveted World Cup final. About 1.5 billion people watched the last World Cup final in Qatar in 2022, according to FIFA, soccer's global governing body. 'We're going to have to raise a few hundred million bucks to put this on,' Lasry said. Lasry, 37, was previously senior vice president for the Bucks, the team his father, Marc Lasry, once co-owned. He led the host committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, though the events turned virtual amid the coronavirus pandemic, and he came up short in his 2022 bid for a Wisconsin Senate seat. More recently, Lasry served as deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism in the U.S. Department of Commerce until President Donald Trump took office in January. The World Cup, he said, was part of his portfolio. Soccer won't be an entirely foreign transition for the former NBA executive. Lasry said he has become a bigger fan of the sport over the last 10-plus years. His best friends are English Premier League fans, and his father's sports fund recently bought into Ipswich Town Football Club. Now, Lasry will oversee day-to-day operations for the New York New Jersey host committee 'as it transitions from planning mode to execution mode,' the committee said in a release. 'His experience in business, sports, government, fundraising, travel, tourism and community-building will be essential to the next phase of the Host Committee's work,' the committee said. Lasry will work alongside Tammy Murphy, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's wife, who was named chairwoman of the committee. He told the Journal Sentinel that he and his family will temporarily relocate to New York in the fall but will keep their home in Milwaukee. 'Just being able to work on this and help put it on is the opportunity of a lifetime,' Lasry said. 'Who knows when we'll get a World Cup again in the United States?' This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ex-Bucks exec Alex Lasry lead host group for 2026 FIFA World Cup
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Former Milwaukee Bucks exec Alex Lasry lead host group for 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York area
Former Milwaukee Bucks exec Alex Lasry lead host group for 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York area Show Caption Hide Caption USMNT opens 2026 World Cup at SoFi Stadium FIFA announced the schedule for the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. Men's National Team will open at SoFi Stadium, while MetLife Stadium will host the World Cup final. Fox - LA WASHINGTON – Former Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry is turning his attention to the largest sporting event on Earth. Lasry is the new CEO of the New York New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee, a nonprofit tasked with preparing the New York area for the wildly popular soccer tournament when it comes to North America next year. 'This is the biggest sporting event in the world, and to be able to have a role in helping put it on in the biggest region in the world, being able to work on the finals, is an honor,' Lasry told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week. The work, Lasry said, will be similar to putting on a major political convention — 'just on a much bigger scale.' The committee is tasked in part with handling security and transportation logistics and putting on FIFA Fan Fests and other hospitality events during World Cup games played in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The World Cup runs from July 11-19, 2026, and will be played across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In addition to New York/New Jersey, 10 other U.S. cities will host matches, and each city has its own host committee. MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets in East Rutherford, however, will see eight games, including the coveted World Cup final. About 1.5 billion people watched the last World Cup final in Qatar in 2022, according to FIFA, soccer's global governing body. 'We're going to have to raise a few hundred million bucks to put this on,' Lasry said. Lasry, 37, was previously senior vice president for the Bucks, the team his father, Marc Lasry, once co-owned. He led the host committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, though the events turned virtual amid the coronavirus pandemic, and he came up short in his 2022 bid for a Wisconsin Senate seat. More recently, Lasry served as deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism in the U.S. Department of Commerce until President Donald Trump took office in January. The World Cup, he said, was part of his portfolio. Soccer won't be an entirely foreign transition for the former NBA executive. Lasry said he has become a bigger fan of the sport over the last 10-plus years. His best friends are English Premier League fans, and his father's sports fund recently bought into Ipswich Town Football Club. Now, Lasry will oversee day-to-day operations for the New York New Jersey host committee 'as it transitions from planning mode to execution mode,' the committee said in a release. 'His experience in business, sports, government, fundraising, travel, tourism and community-building will be essential to the next phase of the Host Committee's work,' the committee said. Lasry will work alongside Tammy Murphy, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's wife, who was named chairwoman of the committee. He told the Journal Sentinel that he and his family will temporarily relocate to New York in the fall but will keep their home in Milwaukee. 'Just being able to work on this and help put it on is the opportunity of a lifetime,' Lasry said. 'Who knows when we'll get a World Cup again in the United States?'
New York Times
11-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
New Jersey First Lady joins NY/NJ host committee for 2026 World Cup: ‘This is a big deal for our region'
With 523 days to go until the men's World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, the New York New Jersey host committee has added two high-profile names to its roster: New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy and former Milwaukee Bucks' executive Alex Lasry. Murphy, 59, was named chair of the host committee's board of directors, while Lasry, 37, will serve as the host committee's CEO, the group said Tuesday morning. The additions come as the group shifts from 'planning mode to execution mode,' as described in its announcement. Advertisement 'We are incredibly excited here in the New York/New Jersey area, not only because we have eight games, but, obviously, because we have the final,' Murphy said in an interview with The Athletic on Monday. 'This is a big deal for our region in terms of economic benefit, in terms of tourism, in terms of just elevating and bringing the biggest sporting event ever, in the history of the planet Earth, to our region.' Planning for the World Cup has been underway for years, with FIFA awarding the tournament to co-hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada in 2018. Last year, the sport's global governing body announced MetLife Stadium would also host the World Cup final, after a close race with Texas' AT&T Stadium. GO DEEPER Everything you need to know about the 2026 World Cup: That announcement revved up planning in New Jersey and New York, which has been led by co-host city managers Lauren LaRusso and Bruce Revman, who have been the face of the host committee since it formed in 2023. The pair 'really set the stage and set the table for where we are today,' said Lasry, who will now oversee the host committee's day-to-day. 'Now, it's (about) taking it into the next phase and the next evolution for this final 500-day sprint,' Lasry said, 'and making sure that we're getting all of the interest that's clearly there on board, finalizing those partners, and making sure that we're setting the stage for and executing on the vision that FIFA has, and on the vision that Tammy and the Governor, as well as (New York City) Mayor (Eric) Adams, have for this big event.' The committee has estimated that the World Cup will bring in more than $2 billion in revenue and a million visitors to the New Jersey and New York region. However, host cities are tasked with covering nearly all expenses for staging the World Cup. That includes organizing fan festivals, securing practice facilities, hotels, transportation, public safety and other critical infrastructure. Cities are also required to meet the rigorous standards set by FIFA, which, for example, may require a host to invest millions in things like stadium upgrades or developing the grass used for games. Advertisement While some expenses are covered by public dollars, it is up to host committees to raise funds that will cover the remaining balances. That is where fundraising and sponsorships will play a big role. Together, Murphy and Lasry bring a wealth of connections to the group, both politically and in sports. 'I've been involved since day one,' Murphy said of the World Cup process. 'I might not have been the public face for this, but I have absolutely been part of pitches, been part of (the) thinking behind planning, strategizing and, someday down the road, we'll talk about the World Cup final.' Murphy is married to NJ Gov. Phil Murphy, who assumed office in 2018, just five months before FIFA awarded the 2026 tournament to North America. While the Democrat's second term expires at the beginning of 2026, Murphy's appointment as chair assures that New Jersey's first family will remain closely linked to the world's biggest sporting event when it comes to the Garden State next year. GO DEEPER 'It was a hell of a battle': How New Jersey beat Dallas to host the 2026 World Cup final The Murphys are also founding owners of NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL, with Tammy serving as the club's board chair. For the family, 'soccer is in our bloodstream,' she said. 'It's not only just having a rich soccer knowledge ingrained in me, but I think it's having knowledge and a huge network of people,' Murphy said. 'I know a good chunk of the people who are engaged in the sport and in other sports. At this point in time, if I have a question or if I have a concern, it's easy to pick up the phone and ask someone for guidance. That's probably the biggest opportunity or advantage.' As chair of the five-person board, Murphy will focus on overseeing the host committee's planning and preparations. She will also engage individuals to 'support' the committee's mission, likely by way of fundraising. All board members are volunteers, the host committee said. Lasry, who led an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin in 2022, has deep ties to government and politics. He most recently served as deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism at the U.S. Department of Commerce, ending his two-year stint at the department in January. While there, though, he worked closely with their department's World Cup portfolio. Lasry was also a long-time executive at the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, which was co-owned by his father, the billionaire Marc Lasry, who sold his 25 per cent stake in the team in 2023. Last year, the businessman considered buying a controlling stake in the NWSL's North Carolina Courage, valued at $108 million. GO DEEPER Can World Cup 2026 match the advertising might of the Super Bowl? While at the Bucks, Alex Lasry says he learned the intricacies of running a team while managing close ties with city and state partners. 'There's nothing like the World Cup,' he said, 'but having experience in raising money for events like this and putting together those kinds of partnership packages and having a good understanding of how sports and entertainment operate, I think gives me the right experience to be able to come on and take this to the next step.' Advertisement That next step includes a dry run for the host city with the Club World Cup coming to New Jersey this summer. MetLife Stadium will host eight games, including a quarterfinal match, both semifinal games and the final. 'We are incredibly fortunate, because it's a little bit like having a dry run at what we're going to be doing next year,' Murphy said. 'The fact that the entire final week is going to be in in New York/New Jersey is just going to give us that much of a chance to be up and running, check all of our logistics, our transportation, and really make sure that if there are any issues, that we're ready to roll next year.' 'The Club World Cup is just another chance for us to show how important soccer is to the New York/New Jersey region,' Lasry added, 'and to show our partners how exciting the World Cup is going to be.'
