New York City is hosting or near several high-profile events this week including World Cup-related activity, while visitor counts remain below record levels according to verified data. Multiple events including the July 4 National Mall fireworks and July 19 World Cup final have received National Special Security Event status from the Department of Homeland Security for the first time. U.S. host cities have expanded surveillance capabilities ahead of the 2026 World Cup co-hosting and the 2026 semiquincentennial.