On Thursday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confidently strolled across the lawn of City Hall, took a seat, and candidly confessed that he hadn’t had much time to delve into research about the upcoming World Cup champion.
This revelation may not come as a shock given the pressing issues he faces as the leader of the largest city in the United States, grappling with soaring rents, immigration concerns, and a budget crisis, among other challenges since taking office.
Yet, Mamdani’s passion for soccer sets him apart in American political circles. His dedication to the sport manifests through his public policy initiatives and cultural advocacy. For instance, he participated in Eid al-Adha prayers in the Bronx while sporting an Arsenal-themed kurta and has actively protested FIFA’s dynamic pricing strategy, even hosting a viewing party for the Africa Cup of Nations final at a municipal court.
His ties to African football are set to deepen as he engages with the Guardian’s World Cup Bracketology game, where he forecasted an unexpected outcome: Morocco triumphing over France in the tournament’s final match.
Before unveiling his predictions, I probed Mamdani on whether his choices stemmed from heartfelt desires or logical reasoning. His selections blended both emotions. While some choices were straightforward, others prompted considerable contemplation, particularly the final match, where he ultimately chose Morocco as the victor. Although many consider this an improbable outcome, he remarked, “the heart wants what it wants.”
If his prediction holds true, it would mark a historic first World Cup victory and final appearance for any African nation. His forecast also includes several surprises, such as Haiti reaching the round of 32, Brazil being eliminated by Japan, and the US making it to the quarter-finals before being defeated by England.
During the last World Cup in Qatar, Morocco made history as the first African team to reach the semi-finals. At that time, Mamdani was serving as a New York state assemblyman representing a Queens district and joined his constituents in Astoria to celebrate Morocco’s victory over Portugal in the quarter-finals, sharing videos of the festivities on Steinway Street, a hub for North African communities in the city.
The Atlas Lions are ranked seventh in FIFA’s standings and enter this summer’s tournament with ambitions to surpass their previous achievements in Qatar, boasting a strong squad capable of doing so.
Mamdani may well witness Morocco’s first match, as they kick off Group C against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Last month, he unveiled a plan to offer $50 tickets to city residents for seven of the eight matches at the stadium. This initiative will see approximately 1,000 tickets, in blocks of about 150 per game, distributed through a random drawing.
The mayor introduced this ticket program at a May event alongside USMNT players Tim Weah and Mark McKenzie, both of whom hail from New York. Mamdani is optimistic about the American team’s prospects, predicting they will finish atop Group D and advance past Canada and Belgium in the knockout stages before facing England in the quarter-finals.
In March, during a press conference regarding the city’s transportation plans for the World Cup, Mamdani had refrained from declaring a winner but did humorously declare, “It’s not going to be Portugal,” to the laughter of reporters. In his Guardian bracket, he has Portugal being eliminated by England in the Round of 32.
Born in Uganda, Mamdani has shared how his attendance at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa significantly shaped his love for soccer. He vividly recalls being at Soccer City in Johannesburg to support Ghana during their quarter-final match against Uruguay, where he was brought to tears after Luis Suárez’s infamous handball changed the game’s outcome.
This year, he anticipates Ghana making it to the knockout stage as the third-place team in Group I, only to be eliminated by Colombia in the Round of 32.
