New York City FC floats giant inflatable pigeon down Hudson River during FIFA Club World Cup

New York City FC is today launching a five-story-high inflatable pigeon that will float down the Hudson River and through New York Harbor in a guerrilla-style activation, created by creative studio Tavern.

Timed to coincide with the FIFA Club World Cup taking place across the river in New Jersey, the installation – a.k.a. “The Five Borough Flight” – is New York City FC’s way of proudly repping the city and reminding fans of the home club in their backyard. The 700lb pigeon, a nod to New York’s most prolific resident and the Club’s unofficial mascot, was designed to stop soccer fans in their tracks during a peak moment for the sport and kick start the future of NYC football.

“We wanted to tap into the immense pride New Yorkers have in their city and in their home club,” said Lauren Scrima, Vice President, Marketing at New York City FC. “The pigeon is a tribute to the city that shaped us and a signal that the future of soccer is here in New York City.”

The pigeon starts its journey in Staten Island before sailing up the Hudson then ‘flying’ back down past all five boroughs before coming home to roost in Willets Point – the home of New York City FC’s new stadium, Etihad Park, set to open in 2027.

“Our goal was to create something impossible to ignore,” said Mike Perry, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Tavern. “Our giant pigeon is a love letter from NYCFC to the city, and a proud wink to everyone watching it float by.”

The “Five Borough Flight” is part of a broader strategy by Tavern to bring New York City FC’s brand to life in unexpected ways and remind global soccer fans that New York has a club to be proud of.

About Tavern

Tavern is a Brooklyn-based global creative agency crafting timeless brands. Driven by its Modern Heritage approach, the studio balances legacy and innovation to create dynamic brands that flex with the speed of culture. In a world of trend-chasing, Tavern focuses on building what lasts: commercially impactful, future-ready brands and ambitious experiences that resonate across every touchpoint.

About New York City FC

New York City FC is an American professional soccer team that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Eastern Conference of the League. It was announced as the League’s 20th franchise on May 21, 2013 and is the first and only MLS club located within the five boroughs of New York City. New York City FC kicked off its inaugural MLS season in March 2015 and is majority owned by City Football Group (CFG). In 2021, New York City FC won MLS Cup in the Club’s first ever appearance, becoming the first professional sports franchise based in New York to win a championship in a decade. In 2022, New York City FC added to its trophy cabinet by winning Campeones Cup, the annual clash between the champions of MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX. 

New York City FC’s affiliate team, New York City FC II, plays in MLS NEXT Pro, a professional soccer league that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT, the youth academies associated with MLS, through to MLS, the top U.S. domestic league. New York City FC II plays their home matches in Belson Stadium at St. John’s University in Queens, NY and at Icahn Stadium in Randall’s Island. New York City FC’s Academy currently features teams from the U-12 to U-18 age groups and became the first Academy in the country to win back-to-back national titles at the U-19 level.

New York City FC proudly supports City in the Community (CITC) foundation to use the power of soccer to uplift communities. One of the programs, New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI), is a first-of-its-kind public-private community partnership to open 50 mini-soccer pitches in NYC neighborhoods in five years. In 2021, NYCSI opened its 50th pitch and committed to install 26 more mini-pitches across NYC in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ which will be hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.