NYC celebrates Women’s World Cup winners with parade
Published 11:10 am Friday, July 10, 2015
NEW YORK – Lower Manhattan will be swirling with confetti as thousands attend a parade celebrating the win by U.S. women’s soccer team at the Women’s World Cup.
Team members will be on a float that will travel along the Canyon of Heroes, a stretch of Broadway where the nation’s largest city has honored its legends. The U.S. squad defeated Japan 5-2 on Sunday in Canada to win its first World Cup since 1999.
The women were feted at a rally in Los Angeles this week and have been invited to the White House. All 23 members of the team – none of whom are from New York City, though four hail from nearby New Jersey – are expected to attend the parade.
The southern end of Broadway is the traditional spot for New York City ticker-tape parades. Most of the route is lined with tall office buildings on both sides, allowing workers to toss bits of paper onto the celebrants below.
City officials have not expressed how large they expect the crowd to be, though tens if not hundreds of thousands of people likely will line Broadway for the 11 a.m. parade. It will feature floats and marching bands, and will be hosted by broadcaster Robin Roberts and former soccer star Heather Mitts. At its conclusion, the team will be honored by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in front of a crowd of 3,500 people at City Hall Plaza.
by JONATHAN LEMIRE, Associated Press