In Midtown Manhattan, where Times Square buzzes with anticipation, hotel clerk Aisha Patel is booking rooms faster than she can answer calls. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off June 29 at MetLife Stadium, is set to draw 50,000 international soccer fans to New York, boosting the city’s $48 billion tourism industry. Patel said, “It’s going to be electric,” a soccer fan herself, as she preps for visitors from Brazil to Bayern. The tournament, featuring 32 top clubs, promises a global spotlight, but rising costs test the city’s appeal.

The expanded Club World Cup, hosted across 12 U.S. cities, will see MetLife, just across the Hudson, host eight matches, including the final, per FIFA. New York expects 150,000 visitors, with hotel occupancy projected at 85%, per NYC Tourism. Local businesses, from Times Square’s Hard Rock Cafe to Brooklyn’s taquerias, are gearing up. “We’re stocking extra beer,” said Juan Torres, a Hell’s Kitchen bar owner. The event could add $500 million to the city’s economy, per the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

But challenges loom. Oil prices, up 12% to $90 a barrel due to Israel-Iran clashes, have spiked airfares and gas, per AAA, with flights from Europe up 10%. “It’s expensive to get here,” said Sofia Ruiz, a Chelsea travel agent booking Brazilian fans. China’s rare earth curbs, hitting tech supply chains, raise costs for event tech like LED screens, per Reuters. Mayor Eric Adams is boosting subway services, but budget constraints limit infrastructure upgrades.

New Yorkers are thrilled yet cautious. “It’ll be a party, but prices worry me,” said Ruiz. Hotels like the Marriott Marquis are offering soccer-themed packages, while restaurants plan watch parties. Patel said “We’re ready for the world,”. The event’s global draw, with clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid, could outshine past NYC soccer moments, like the 2016 MLS Cup.

What’s next? Diplomacy easing Middle East tensions could lower travel costs, drawing more fans. NYC’s tourism board is pushing digital campaigns to lure visitors. Can the city handle the influx and shine? For now, as Patel books rooms and Torres stocks fridges, New York gears up for a soccer-fueled summer.