It’s going to be a wild weekend for sports fans in the tri-state area.
Fanatics Fest is returning to New York City for the third consecutive year in 2026, and it will be held the same weekend that the FIFA World Cup final is played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The sports fan festival is expanding to four days and will be held from July 16 to July 19 at the Jacob J. Javits Convention Center.
They say third time’s the charm, so of course we gotta RUN IT BACK🔥 @fanaticsfest returns July 16 – 19 at the Javits Center in NYC.
The only way to find out how we top 2025 is to see us in 2026! 🤩
Tickets go on sale in November 👀🎟️ pic.twitter.com/qAkJFdrUKW— Fanatics (@Fanatics) October 10, 2025
“There is no show in the world like Fanatics Fest and the massive growth and impact in just two years drives home the value to fans, leagues, brands and athletes,” said Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events. “We can’t wait to build on an incredibly successful 2025 event, which included a complete sellout of our Saturday program, and make the third year of Fanatics Fest our biggest and best yet.”
Fanatics Fest brings together major sports leagues, current and former athletes, celebrities and top hobby shops and dealers for a long weekend dedicated to the fans. The event offers league activations, autograph and photo op sessions, a trading cards and collectibles show, and star-studded panels – which at each of the previous two events included an unannounced performance by hip-hop star Travis Scott.
In June, Fanatics Fest drew more than 125,000 fans and 300 stars over three days – including athletes like Tom Brady, LeBron James and Derek Jeter; celebrities like Scott, Kevin Costner and Kevin Hart; and WWE superstars like John Cena, Rhea Ripley and The Undertaker.
Last year’s event also featured the first Fanatics Games, during which 50 professional athletes and 50 fans competed in a multi-sport competition with a total of $2 million in prizes on the line. A Pennsylvania teacher finished in third-place and traded his prize for $250,000 with the winner: Tom Brady.
Brady and other athletes also helped wishes come true for Make-a-Wish children attending the event by holding meet-and-greets and having a football catch.
Another fan took home the top prize for the event’s costume contest by recreating Saquon Barkley’s iconic leap play – with the help of a mannequin he held above his head all day — to win tickets to Super Bowl LX, the FIFA World Cup Final and WrestleMania 42.
The upcoming Fanatics Fest will now add a fourth day and occupy 25% more space at the Javits Center.
Tickets go on sale in early November.
Matt Dennish, a high school teacher from Pennsylvania, finished third at the Fanatics Games competition in New York City, beating many professional athletes, and earned a coveted LeBron James rookie card.
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