On the streets, in parks and squares, football is present in many forms: from art exhibitions, street performances to fan areas. However, the truth is that similar things appear in any other host city. And here I discovered something completely different – giant works of sand art.
Just outside the New Jersey fan zone, dozens of people stood in a circle around a giant block of sand to take photos. Amidst the constant sound of cameras and the murmur of visitors, the middle-aged man was still diligently pouring water on the sand to ensure that his work was always kept in the best condition.
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| Matt Long’s sand work serves visitors to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. |
It took a long time for the crowd to gradually split up to experience other interesting things around, and then I had the opportunity to approach this artist with a very simple appearance. This is Matt Long, one of the leading names in sand sculpting in America. After many years in this profession, he has been present in many countries, producing hundreds of artworks for festivals, sporting events and tourism promotion programs. American television viewers are no longer a stranger to Matt Long when he appeared on the program “Masters of Sand,” where ordinary sandbanks are transformed into giant works of art just by the hands of artists.
Chatting while still busy with work, Matt Long said that the World Cup celebration piece here is just one of his works during this soccer festival, other creations in Staten Island or Queens are also very impressive and have works made from 10 tons of sand.
To be able to sculpt, all the sand must be constantly watered and compacted into a large solid mass. Only then will the artists begin to cut from top to bottom, gradually creating the shape of the work. According to him, every step must be carefully calculated, because even a small mistake can lead to the collapse of the entire block of sand. Each line in the work is created by the experience and feeling of the artist, without forms or any modern technological equipment to support it. Watching Matt Long patiently edit each angle, you can see why he’s called the “sand witch.”
Sand paintings by Matt Long highlight the 2026 FIFA World Cup sites in New York and New Jersey. They give fans another reason to stop, chat and take memorable photos. As I bid farewell to the talented sand sculpture artist, I looked back at his work, which continued to attract more and more people to admire it. In the next few days, due to rain, this work may come to naught. But, as with the World Cup, memories remain. This is a memory of a summer day when, in the middle of bustling New York, an artist quietly breathed life into the sand to tell a beautiful story about football, art and the World Cup.