NEW YORK CITY — A Massachusetts man is among two soccer fans landing what might be the dream job of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — getting paid $50,000 to watch every match.
Austin Franklin, a native of Dartmouth, is one of two fans selected from more than 6,000 applicants for the unique gig, which has them watching games and offering commentary from inside a glass cube in New York City’s Times Square.
“It’s going great,” Franklin said. “We’re getting paid a lot of money to sit here in Times Square and watch football matches, so I’m enjoying it.”
Joining him is Kevin Okoto, who shares the spotlight — and the responsibility of breaking down every World Cup match in real time for a live audience passing by the bustling Midtown location.
The job, created as part of a promotional campaign, puts the pair on display for hours at a time as they react to games, discuss storylines, and interact with fans gathering outside the cube.
Franklin said landing the role was surreal.
“I was just really happy. It was so exciting,” he said. “A little bit of me couldn’t actually believe it. I was kind of just flabbergasted.”
Both men say the experience has already delivered memorable moments, not just from the matches themselves but from the electric atmosphere surrounding them.
For Okoto, some of the biggest surprises have come on the field, particularly when underdog teams have held their own against tournament favorites.
“Just watching some underdogs manage to hold up with the big teams,” he said. “Watching Cabo Verde hold up with Spain — that was one of the most surprising things I’ve seen in this box.”
Franklin, meanwhile, said the fans have made the experience unforgettable.
“The fans have been the most fun,” he said. “We had a great crowd out here for Brazil, Argentina was fantastic, Mexico is amazing … having all of the fans out here in the hubbub of Times Square is just absolutely electric.”
With the tournament still unfolding, both men are also making predictions about who will ultimately lift the trophy. Franklin thinks Norway will take it all, while Okoto is siding with Spain.
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