New York and New Jersey are officially gearing up for the world’s most-watched sporting event. Over one billion viewers are expected to tune into the FIFA World Cup 2026. To celebrate the region’s role as a host, our streets are getting a major artistic makeover.
The Art of the Game is a landmark public art project bringing 23 large-scale, soccer-themed sculptures to the area. You will be able to spot these incredible works across all five boroughs of New York and nearby New Jersey.
A city-wide open-air museum
Each sculpture is a massive, locally fabricated masterpiece. The pieces were fabricated at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn and assembled at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City.
They feature a stainless-steel interior frame covered by 32 aluminum composite panels. The panels are shaped just like a traditional soccer ball, featuring 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons.
The giant sculptures will pop up at major thoroughfares, parks, plazas, transit hubs, and official watch party locations. Keep an eye out for them as they are installed throughout May and June. They will remain on view all summer long, through Labor Day.
Legendary artists and a philanthropic legacy
The project is a major collaboration between the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee and ARTS 14C, a New Jersey-based arts accessibility nonprofit. It also carries a deeply touching history.
This massive initiative marks the last philanthropic project of the late Agnes Gund. Before her passing in September 2025, the legendary art patron used her connections to bring this vision to life. She linked ARTS 14C with top-tier institutions like MoMA, the Met, the Whitney Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and El Museo del Barrio.
Because of her efforts, the roster of participating artists is truly mind-blowing. You will find designs by nearly two-dozen museum-collected creators. The lineup includes renowned names like Katherine Bernhardt, Hank Willis Thomas, Futura 2000, Eddie Martinez, and Tomokazu Matsuyama. Two local artists, including Nyugen Smith, were also selected via an open call.
What happens after the final whistle?
When the tournament ends, the art will keep giving back. Several sculptures will find permanent homes in local neighborhoods to serve as a lasting cultural legacy.
Five specific pieces will be auctioned off by Christie’s, the project’s official auction partner. The auction will feature works by Hank Willis Thomas, Katherine Bernhardt, Fred Wilson, Bony Ramirez, and Tomokazu Matsuyama.
Proceeds from the auction will be split evenly between the artists, ARTS 14C, and Studio in a School, a nonprofit founded by Agnes Gund.
The remaining sculptures will be sold privately or donated. These funds will directly support arts accessibility across the region. Get your cameras ready, because this is an epic collision of sports and culture!
