Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Knicks title run could overlap with World Cup, causing potential headaches at Penn Station
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published May 13, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Ramsey Khalifeh / Gothamist
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published May 13, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The New York Knicks are four wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 — and that could mean trouble for commuters at Penn Station if the title run coincides with this summer’s World Cup games at MetLife Stadium.
NJ Transit officials have already imposed rules that give World Cup ticketholders priority on the eight days the tournament will be held in the Meadowlands.
For four hours before each soccer match, NJ Transit service between Penn Station and Secaucus Junction will be restricted to people who purchased a $98 train ticket to each match.
And for three hours after each match, NJ Transit will only bring World Cup ticketholders back to Penn Station. All other Manhattan-bound trains will terminate at either Newark Penn Station or Newark Broad Street, where riders can transfer to the PATH system instead.
That plan could cause a problem for Knicks fans who commute to Madison Square Garden from New Jersey for the NBA Finals.
According to the FIFA schedule, the first two World Cup matches hosted in New Jersey will be on June 13 and 16. That’s the same day as Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals. And if the Knicks make it that far, one of those games will be hosted at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks have a good chance to play for the chip. Vegas sportsbooks list them as favorites to win the Eastern Conference after they completed a sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
“With the soccer going on at the same time, it’ll be monumental for the city of New York,” said Irving Dubiwitz, a Knicks fan, who brushed off a potential sports and transit clash. “It’ll be astronomical for the city. It’ll be great.”
NJ Transit spokesperson John Chartier said the agency is encouraging non-FIFA customers to “limit their use of the transit system to essential travel only” on match days, but didn’t specify if that’ll apply to Knicks fans in New Jersey heading to the Garden.
“The summer of 2026 is an exciting time for our region, with many major events occurring. We are asking everyone to stay tuned as we will communicate more details as the NBA Finals schedule develops,” Chartier said in a statement.
The MTA, which operates the subway and Long Island Rail Road through Penn Station, plans to maintain regular service at the station during the World Cup games.
Representatives for the transit agency did not respond to multiple requests for comment on their plans to handle crowds for a potential NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
The FIFA schedule shows the June 13 match at MetLife Stadium between Brazil and Morocco kicks off at 6 p.m.
The June 16 match between France and Senegal kicks off at 3 p.m. Knicks fans trying to commute to Penn Station from New Jersey would only be able to take a direct NJ Transit train to the station during the roughly two-hour window while the World Cup match is underway.
“[Knicks fans] are going to be pissed off. That’s going to drive them crazy. I’m sure that they’re going to be really upset,” said Jim Fagan, 40, another Knicks fan outside of the Garden this week. “That’s why the fans are going to Philadelphia or Detroit to watch the games instead of watching them right here. Cheaper and easier.”
On a regular weekday, Penn Station carries more than 500,000 passengers, making it the busiest transit hub in the country.
Tagged
manhattan
new york city
transportation
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .