U.S. men’s national team winger Tim Weah appeared at an event with New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, where the city announced access to 1,000 tickets to matches at the upcoming World Cup finals priced at $50, which will be distributed by ballot to residents.“I think this opportunity is really healthy for the community and for New York in its whole,” Weah said on Thursday. “I think as athletes it’s important to have a voice, because we are the pillars of this community. We are the leaders of the next generation. As a kid, it was always a dream to be up here and to be in stadiums playing, and if I can help the next kid get to that stage, I think it’s a wonderful feeling.“The mayor has done a wonderful job making these tickets accessible to New Yorkers. My job is to bring joy, to put smiles on faces, so I’m going to do exactly that while standing by his side and making sure that we can make it easier on anyone.”U.S. center back Mark McKenzie was also in attendance with Weah.Weah’s appearance doubled down on comments he made earlier this year that “football should still be enjoyed by everyone” and that he was “disappointed by the ticket prices.”“Lots of real fans will miss matches,” Weah told French outlet Le Dauphiné.Those comments earned a rare and polarizing admonishment from U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino.