In the lead up to the FIFA World Cup 2026, there was a lot of (arguably justified) hullaballoo about transportation issues, excessive ticket prices, and concerns about the possible effects of extreme heat on players and attendees. But once the matches kicked off in Mexico City on June 11, the focus unsurprisingly returned simply to the joy of the sport, and the exuberant fanaticism of the fans.

Some lucky kids - and possible future soccer stars? - got to have their big moment, escorting players onto the field in cities across country (click this link to hear from those little ones chosen for the honor in Houston). American kids, as we all know, love, love, love soccer - we formally acknowledge here that, yes, the rest of the world calls it football - and so it's no surprise that significant efforts are being made to include them in the excitement.

In the New York area, for instance, the NJNY Host Committee even invited 30 local youth players to the stadium in East Rutherford to watch the match between Germany and Ecuador (Ecuador won, 2-1.)

The art community has joined in as well, with NYC's Whitney Museum of American Art notably teaming up with the NJNY HC and award-winning artist / School of Visual Arts professor Rich Tu on a totally awesome poster activity guide.

Tu recalls, “When I was a kid, I always loved activities that let my creativity run wild; and it’s an honor to share my love of soccer and design with the city that I love.”

New NYC Mayor Zoran Mamdani, himself a die-hard soccer fan and advocate for making the sport affordable for all kids, enthuses that, “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring New Yorkers together. And this partnership with the Whitney helps ensure that the excitement of the World Cup belongs to all of us, putting art and access at the heart of this historic summer."

Best of all, as an encouragement to creativity, anyone completing a poster can bring it to the Whitney for free admission, and the chance to explore the museum's breathtaking collection of American art - with the works of Georgia O'Keefe, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mickalene Thomas, David Hockney, Ruth Asawa, Cindy Sherman and Alexander Calder all counted amongst the more than 4000 artists represented.

Scott Rothkopf, the Alice Pratt Brown Director of the Whitney Museum, offers, “We hope this activity guide inspires people to visit us, As a museum deeply rooted in New York City, we are committed to welcoming everyone, from our neighbors to visitors arriving from around the world."

(Note: The Whitney will host a special make-and-paste post workshop on Sunday, July 12, in collaboration with NYC's Poster House, and with Rich Tu as visiting instructor. It runs from 2pm to 5pm, and is free to everyone with a World-Cup-inspired creative itch that needs to be scratched.)