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New York City isn't hosting any of the FIFA World Cup matches, but there will be at least one significant pre-World Cup friendly held within the city limits.
This week, the Netherlands confirmed plans to face Uzbekistan at scenic Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island on Monday, June 8, the day before the Dutch team travels to its tournament base camp in Kansas City, Missouri.
That’s a huge local development on the pre-World Cup friendly front, but it's not as big of a deal as it could be: The game will be played behind closed doors, on a Monday, with no fans of either nation allowed to attend.
The Dutch FA shared that the game will have no fans in attendance, "Due to the stadium's limited capacity and the many events taking place in New York around that time."
Icahn Stadium does hold only 5,000 fans, and there are four other international friendlies involving World Cup teams scheduled at New Jersey's Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, so that might cover what the Dutch federation alludes to in their statement confirming the behind-closed-doors nature of this game.
Icahn Stadium still has a lot going for it, even though this game will be closed to the public. There's the recently-installed natural grass playing surface, courtesy of that $3 million donation made by New York City FC to fund renovations and the installation of the Kentucky bluegrass field.
That pitch has already welcomed some big names since its 2024 installation. Eintracht Frankfurt of the German Bundesliga came and held an opening training session at Icahn in August 2024. Then in 2025, David Moyes ran an open Everton FC training session at Icahn as part of Everton's summer tour of the United States, a tour that included a friendly against AFC Bournemouth at MetLife Stadium.
