Knicks, World Cup fans converge at Penn Station on Saturday

If New York is a melting pot, Penn Station was its epicenter Saturday as thousands of soccer fans headed for the Brazil vs. Morocco match at MetLife Stadium, Knicks fans flooded midtown for Game 5 watch parties and others set out for an afternoon Mets game and evening concert at Madison Square Garden.

The flurry of events and extra security measures, as part of the New York City Police Department’s “frozen zone” surrounding the arena, made travel burdensome as the transit hub filled with confusion, excitement and, at times, chaos.

By midday, bright yellow and deep red Brazil and Morocco jerseys were scattered throughout Penn Station. The usual escalators connecting the Long Island Rail Road concourse to New Jersey Transit were cordoned off, and NJ Transit entrances along W. 31st and W. 32nd streets were also closed to commuters.

Some soccer fans shook their heads in frustration as MTA employees directed them to exit the station and walk down W. 32nd Street to go through metal detectors before recrossing 7th Avenue and entering NJ Transit to catch a train to the match.

When a group of fans made it through those measures around 1 p.m., they were stopped by confused officers who weren't sure if they were allowed to let fans inside.

Ten minutes later, fans with wristbands got the go-ahead — and promptly began opposing chants.

With a cellphone in hand, Karim Chlaghmo, 46, of Morocco, was asking an MTA employee in Penn Station where he could find shuttle buses to the game. Wearing the country's jersey alongside his 12-year-old son, Chlaghmo said he was extremely nervous about traveling to the game.

The pair took a flight in from Chicago after an earlier flight was canceled, and he landed in a different airport than he expected. Still, he planned to take the day in stride.

"It's an honor to walk the airport, the train station,” Chlaghmo said, noting that people have been wishing the team luck as they passed by. "Maybe 10 years ago, nobody would know the jersey."

Lucas Berjarano, a spokesman for the Long Island Rail Road, said LIRR and New York City Transit systems were “operating normally in and out of Penn Station” on Saturday and deferred comment on the crowds and policies to New Jersey Transit.

Officials at NJ Transit and Amtrak did not immediately respond to Newsday inquiries Saturday evening.

The crush of World Cup attendees thinned and a wave of royal blue and orange took hold as game time approached for both the Mets and the Knicks, who are vying for their potential first championship since 1973.

Police set up barricades around the perimeter of Madison Square Garden ahead of a 5 Seconds of Summer concert and outdoor Knicks watch party scheduled at Plaza33.

Cameron Appel, 30, and Claire Schwark, 30, of Manhattan, planned to have a sports-packed day — first attending the Mets game before going to a bar in Long Island City to watch the Knicks.

“We’re willing for it to just take a while,” Appel said of the travel situation.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Schwark said.

Though the train station calmed by late afternoon, the convergence of events could complicate late-night travel.

James Fusco, 20, of Medford, said he planned to attend a watch party, adding, "hopefully we don't get jam packed" on a train back home.

"I'm just going to ride the LIRR and count my blessings," Fusco said.