An inmate previously convicted by a jury on felony gun charges and awaiting sentencing at Rikers Island was among the detainees invited to a FIFA World Cup watch party attended by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, according to court records reviewed by Fox News. Mamdani had faced online criticism for attending the event, which saw him watch the England versus Argentina World Cup semi-final alongside prisoners, with critics questioning the appropriateness of a sitting mayor socialising with inmates, some of whom have serious criminal records.

The report highlights that at least one attendee had been found guilty by a jury of felony firearms offences and had not yet been sentenced at the time of the event, which took place around 15 July. The article, published by Fox News, frames the episode as part of broader criticism of Mamdani's engagement with the Rikers Island prison population, though it does not detail the selection criteria used to determine which inmates attended the watch party.