As CEO of the NYNJ Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Lasry stands at the center of sports world for the next seven months or so. The region will host several games and fan events related to the tournament, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators and generate billions of dollars in economic activity.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Lasry was an executive of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks from 2014–2023. During his tenure, the Bucks won the 2020–2021 NBA Championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in a six-game final series. He also served as a deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism in the U.S. Commerce Department from 2023–2025.

The New York-New Jersey region will, of course, host the World Cup Final, likely to rank among the most-watched events of all time. MetLife Stadium will host several other matches, including games involving former World Cup champions France, England, Germany and Brazil. In addition, the two finalists in this year’s African Cup of Nations – Morocco and Senegal – will also play here.

So yes – Lasry will help preside over a global spectacle featuring some of the world’s top athletes. “The New York New Jersey region is ready to welcome these premier national teams and fans from around the world for the biggest World Cup ever,” he said when the schedule was announced. “The tournament has gone from something abstract to something real. The road to the Final in NYNJ starts now.”

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