4 June 11–17, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MIAMI GARDENS MATCH GAME WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD CUP BEFORE YOU GO. BY B. SCOTT MCLENDON F rom poolside escapes at the local CVS to golden Sexy Fish delivery robots roaming around the city, Miami is con- fusing enough before adding an international soccer tournament and an estimated 600,000 foreign fans. So, to help ensure everyone reaches the football pitch (instead of a fever pitch) as intended, New Times has pulled to- gether a guide of everything fans need to know about Miami as a host city for the Fé- dération Internationale de Football Associa- tion (FIFA) World Cup 2026. South Florida will host seven matches at the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium during the 2026 World Cup, the first iteration to include 48 teams. And among the first and most important bits of information for those new to South Florida: Hard Rock Stadium is actually not in the host city, Miami; it’s in Miami Gardens, about 15 miles north. And in case that wasn’t confusing enough for the un- initiated, the stadium’s name will be changed to “Miami Stadium” for the duration of the World Cup (to comply with FIFA’s rules re- quiring all venues to erase sponsor names to give official sponsors exclusivity). While the tournament runs from June 11 through July 19, the first match in Miami (Gardens) is June 15, and the last is scheduled for July 18. • Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Group H) Monday, June 15 • Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde (Group H) Sunday, June 21 • Scotland vs. Brazil (Group C) Wednesday, June 24 • Colombia vs. Portugal (Group K) Saturday, June 27 • Round of 32 (Group J winner vs. Group H run- ner-up) July 3 • Quarterfinal (teams TBD) July 11 • Bronze final (teams TBD) July 18 South Florida’s ever-growing immigrant communities were no doubt excited to see four Central and South American teams drawn for matches in Miami-Dade County, but prices soaring to more than $1,000 for a single ticket may have football fans up in arms. Here’s how much tickets cost at press time: • Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay: $344+ • Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde: $354+ • Scotland vs. Brazil: $1,651+ • Colombia vs. Portugal: $2,648+ Fans should know that parking passes must be purchased at least 24 hours before the game and will cost between $100 to $300. Ticket holders may purchase parking passes along with their tickets on FIFA’s approved parking website. Prices vary by game, with the more competitive matchups costing more. • Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay ($175) • Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde ($175) • Scotland vs. Brazil ($200) • Colombia vs. Portugal ($249.99) • Round of 32 ($249.99) • Quarterfinal ($225) • Bronze final ($249.99) You may be able to find cheaper parking around the stadium from neighbors who reg- ularly offer up their lawns and driveways for a fraction of what Big Parking charges. For another cheaper alternative to paying for parking at the venue, Miami’s public transportation is the way to go. It’s $48 for a round-trip Brightline train pass from Miami to Aventura (the closest station to the sta- dium) between 2 and 5 p.m. (games start at 6 p.m. or later). A complimentary shuttle ser- vice will then take fans from the station to the stadium, according to Brightline. The package is a far cry from what some other host cities are offering. New Jersey Transit officials caused a social media fire- storm in April when hiking train fares from $12.90 to $150 for World Cup games, accord- ing to the Associated Press. Like most companies running sporting/ performance events, FIFA has a strict bag policy for attending its games. FIFA only al- lows clear bags made of plastic, vinyl, or PVC and no bigger than 12˝ by 6˝ by 12˝ or small clear clutches no bigger than 4.5˝ by 6.5˝. Backpacks aren’t allowed. Like the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the 2026 edition has been filled with controversy from the start. Many cried foul over the fact that three teams got automatic bids as host na- tions (Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.A.) rather than the customary single host nation bid. But tensions rose significantly higher at the announcement of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers’ pres- ence at the games. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials in June said the reason it was deploying armed offi- cers who specifically signed up to chase for- eign-born people in the U.S. to games packed with thousands of foreign fans was simply for security and not to conduct mass sweeps. The message did little to comfort human rights groups’ fears of a U.S. World Cup dur- ing the current crackdown on immigration. Florida Immigrant Coalition officials in February issued a warning for traveling fans, with executive director Tessa Petit saying at the time, “Florida is no longer a safe destina- tion for international tourists. When federal and local agents can detain anyone at anytime without cause and without identifying them- selves, everyone is at risk.” [email protected] | RIPTIDE | Lionel Messi’s Argentina claimed the last World Cup trophy in 2022. Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat via Flickr ▼ INTERNATIONAL ISLAND TIME IVANKA AND KUSHNER’S LATEST PROJECT SPARKS PROTESTS AND A PROBE. BY NATASHA YEE Jared Kushner is facing a corruption probe in Albania, angry environmental activists, and a social media backlash that has seen critics dub him the “new Jeffrey Epstein.” The comparisons stem not from criminal allegations against Kushner but from outrage over a proposed $1.4 billion luxury resort development on Albania’s Sazan Island, a largely un- touched stretch of coastline that anti- corruption prosecutors are examining after protected land was opened to development. The controversy may be unfolding halfway across the world, but it in- volves one of South Florida’s most prominent power couples. Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have spent the last several years building a life — and a real estate empire — in Miami’s billionaire enclaves. According to multiple European news outlets, Albania’s Special Anti- Corruption Structure, known as SPAK, has opened an investigation into changes made to protected coastal land that cleared the way for the proj- ect linked to Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners. The develop- ment would transform Sazan Island, a former military outpost in the Adriatic Sea, into a luxury resort destination. Kushner has publicly discussed how he first became interested in the project. During an appearance on “The All-In Podcast,” he said he dis- covered the island while vacationing aboard a yacht owned by financier Nat Rothschild, a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family. “We were on a friend’s boat, Nat Rothschild’s, on vacation,” Kushner said, describing how he first saw the Albanian coastline and began explor- ing investment opportunities in the country. Kushner also said he later met pri- vately with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama aboard Rothschild’s yacht. According to Kushner, the meeting helped spark conversations that even- tually led to the proposed re- GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS >> p6 Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump applaud as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
