NJIT Builds on World Cup Fan Sentiment Platform with Public Digital Hub for NY/NJ Visitors
As the New York/New Jersey region prepares to welcome visitors for the FIFA World Cup 2026, New Jersey Institute of Technology have expanded NJIT’s earlier fan sentiment work into a public-facing digital hub designed to help fans navigate the tournament experience.
The site, njit-worldcup.com, brings together practical information for visitors and residents, including regional events, transit information, local dining, watch parties and other resources tied to World Cup activity in New Jersey and the broader metropolitan area. It also carries forward NJIT’s fan sentiment work, giving users a window into what people are saying and feeling around the tournament.
The project builds on a fan sentiment and analysis platform announced by NJIT in September 2025 and developed by students and faculty in the university’s Martin Tuchman School of Management. That platform was designed to track and analyze real-time fan reaction before, during and after World Cup events, with a particular focus on the New York/New Jersey region.
With the involvement of CGI, one of the world’s largest independent technology and professional services firms, the initiative has evolved from an analytics dashboard into a more accessible public resource for fans traveling through the region, looking for local experiences or trying to make sense of World Cup activity around them.
Douglas Vargo, a CGI Vice-President and member of the Martin Tuchman School of Management’s Advisory Board, worked with CGI colleagues who volunteered their time and expertise to support the project. Together, they mentored NJIT business students as the team developed the site and considered how to organize information in a way that would be useful to visitors.
"This collaboration reflects CGI’s commitment to connecting real-world expertise with academic innovation," said Douglas Vargo, Vice-President and Head of National AI & Alliances Team, U.S. Commercial and State Government, CGI. "Our AI Forward team brought insights from client engagements and applied them directly in mentoring students. From how we think about user experience to how AI-enabled tools get built and deployed for real audiences, we shared what we do every day with clients and challenged the students to apply it. Every person traveling to the New York/New Jersey region for the World Cup deserves a great experience, and if this platform helps even one fan find the right train, discover a local restaurant or feel more connected to the tournament, then we've done something meaningful."
The collaboration gave students a chance to work alongside professionals from a global consulting firm while contributing to a real project connected to one of the world’s largest sporting events. Students helped think through the user experience, the role of AI-enabled tools, how information should be organized and how a digital platform can serve both visitors and the broader community.
“This collaboration reflects the kind of work we value at NJIT — applied, student-centered and connected to real community needs,” said Oya Tukel, dean of NJIT’s Martin Tuchman School of Management. “The World Cup gives our students a rare opportunity to apply business, technology and analytics skills in a live regional context, while working with professionals who understand how these projects are built and delivered.”
For CGI, the project also reflects a commitment to mentorship and community engagement. By volunteering their time, Vargo and his colleagues helped students see how consulting teams assess client needs, collaborate effectively and keep the end user at the center of the work.
“We gained meaningful experience by working with CGI professionals, and together we created something that can genuinely help people visiting our region during one of the world’s biggest events,” said Nand Patel, a master’s student studying business analytics.
The fan hub is intended as a public service, not a fee-based or membership platform. Its purpose is to make World Cup-related information more accessible while demonstrating how higher education, industry mentorship and student talent can come together around a major regional moment.
NJIT’s earlier fan sentiment platform was built to help regional stakeholders understand audience engagement by tracking online conversations, trending topics, geographic patterns and fan reaction in real time. The public hub adds another layer to that work by turning data, local information and fan engagement tools into a resource that can be used directly by visitors and residents.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is expected to bring significant global attention to the New York/New Jersey region, with MetLife Stadium hosting multiple matches, including the final. For NJIT, the fan hub represents one way to support that moment while giving students a hands-on role in shaping part of the region’s World Cup experience.
As excitement builds, njit-worldcup.com offers an example of how a university-industry partnership can move beyond the classroom and into public use, helping fans explore the region, follow the conversation and connect with the energy surrounding World Cup 2026.